Coronavirus isolation: All your questions answered
The Jerusalem Post, based on Health Ministry documentation, provides you with a guide to isolation – the who, what, when, where and how.
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMANMagen David Adom medical workers perform COVID-19 tests to Arab residents at a drive-through site to collect samples for coronavirus testing in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, August 17, 2020(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Despite the lockdown, coronavirus is rapidly spreading across Israel at an unprecedented rate. In recent days, between 6% and 7.5% of those screened for the virus have tested positive, sending tens of thousands of Israelis into isolation.The Health Ministry has been receiving an influx of calls with questions about how to handle quarantine. The Jerusalem Post, based on Health Ministry documentation, provides you with a guide to isolation – the who, what, when, where and how:What if I come in contact with a coronavirus-positive person?If you receive a text message informing you that you need to enter home isolation, you should enter it immediately. You can verify the message by calling 08-682-2334.What do I do upon entering home isolation?An isolation entry form must be filled out at the following link: https://go.gov.il/form-for-exposees.Can I find out who I came in contact with?No. The Health Ministry will not share information revealing the identity of the person who exposed you to coronavirus due to patient confidentiality laws.What if I do not believe I should be in isolation?You can call *5400 to appeal your isolation if you are sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you have not been exposed to the virus. You can also appeal online at https://go.gov.il/IsolationCancel.Appealing isolation only applies to people sent into quarantine by the Shin Bet surveillance program and not by a human epidemiological investigation. Lying to get out of isolation is a violation of the law.What if a minor is required to isolate?If your child or someone with disabilities who you care for is asked to enter isolation, then at least one responsible adult should enter isolation with him or her. That person will be defined as an “escort” and will stay with the isolated individual for the length of his or her stay.If the person is later found to have coronavirus, the escort must enter isolation for 10 to 14 days from the last time he or she came in contact with the verified person, meaning after the person completes isolation.The details of the escort should be registered with the Health Ministry.Does my whole family have to isolate if one of our children has to isolate?No. If the isolators keep the rules and do not mingle with the rest of the household, then all other family members can go about their daily routines.How do I reduce my isolation from 14 to 10 days?There are several steps that must be taken:1) Register your isolation with the Health Ministry.2) Be tested for coronavirus as soon as possible after entering isolation – and no longer than by the eighth day.3) Take a second coronavirus test on day nine.If both coronavirus tests are negative, the Health Ministry will contact you by nightfall on the 10th day and release you from isolation.How do I calculate my isolation?The Health Ministry provides an online calculator to help determine your isolation stay: https://corona.health.gov.il/calculator/Are there any instances in which a person can be released from isolation?The Health Ministry provides a short list of instances in which you can leave isolation, provided you are not infected with coronavirus. These include attending a funeral, wedding or bar/bat mitzvah of a first-degree relative; visiting a first-degree relative on his or her deathbed; taking an exam that cannot be done virtually or at another time; moving to another place of isolation; and flying abroad for an approved reason. There may be other exceptions. Permission must be granted before leaving isolation.Does my employer have to pay me while I am in isolation?Yes. The employer can deduct up to four sick days from the employee’s accumulated sick days quota. The person in isolation does not have to be paid for the first sick day, but can use a vacation day so as not to lose money.To receive payment, an employee must provide an employer with a copy of the isolation requirement as administered by the Health Ministry.A person who contracts coronavirus and therefore enters isolation should provide the employer with documentation from a health fund.When am I considered recovered if I caught coronavirus but don’t have any symptoms?You are considered recovered with the approval of a doctor or nurse if 10 days have passed since you tested positive and you had no symptoms for at least the last three days. Loss of taste and smell do not qualify as symptoms.Once I recover, do I still have to enter isolation if I am by someone else who has the virus?No. People who recover from coronavirus do not have to be isolated if they get close to a verified patient or return from abroad.Do I still have to wear a mask?Yes, all other Health Ministry regulations apply.Will the same apply to people who are vaccinated?Yes, all people who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine will no longer have to be isolated but will have to wear masks and social distance – at least for now.When will I get a vaccination certificate?A vaccination certificate will be given to someone seven days after being vaccinated with the second dose, not including the day of vaccination.
