New Corona variant: Israel is huddled

To protect itself from the spread of the new, presumably more contagious Corona variant, Israel is sealed off: no foreigners are allowed into the country. Returning Israelis must be quarantined for up to 14 days.

In view of the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus, Israel has taken tough measures: the Corona cabinet decided to ban foreigners from all countries from entering the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there are exceptions to this rule, as with diplomats. “We have a new epidemic with a virus whose properties we do not know exactly,” said the 71-year-old man about the decision. “This mutation could also be Corona 2.”

Quarantine at the “Hotel Corona”

Foreigners have had limited access to Israel since the pandemic began. Israelis are to be quarantined in so-called Corona hotels starting Wednesday at 10:00 pm local time (9:00 pm CET) after their entry, as decided by the government. They must stay there for at least ten days if two corona tests are negative. Without testing, they even have to stay there for 14 days. “I know it will be a difficult decision, but we have no other option,” Netanyahu said.

Participants must immediately go to home quarantine before Wednesday. Passengers from Great Britain, South Africa and Denmark must be taken to Corona Hotels prior to the decision. Travelers from all countries where a test is positive should therefore stay in special hotels for corona patients. The new regulations will initially apply for ten days, but can still be extended.