Tourists entering Israel will take 15-minute serological test at airport
Only vaccinated or recovered people will be allowed in, provided that they undertake 2 PCR tests, 1 before boarding and 1 upon arrival and a serological test to prove the presence of antibodies.
By ROSSELLA TERCATINRapid testing at Ben-Gurion Airport before fight, March 8, 2021. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/ MAARIV)
Vaccinated tourists entering Israel will be able to take a rapid serological test that offers results in 15 minutes, a Health Ministry representative told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday.The first tourists traveling in selected groups will be allowed into the country beginning next Sunday.They will be able to receive a green pass through an online form after the results of the test to prove they were vaccinated are in, the Health Ministry said.Earlier on Wednesday, the government approved an amendment in the regulation that will allow visitors to check in at their hotel with a negative PCR test. Hotels usually require a green pass, which Israeli citizens and residents can only obtain if they are fully vaccinated or recovered, except for children under 16 who are not eligible to be vaccinated.Israel’s borders have been closed to foreign nationals for more than a year, with limited exceptions.According to the plan presented by the Health and Tourism ministries, general group tourism will resume on June 1, while individual travelers will be able to enter the country starting on July 1.Only vaccinated or recovered people will be allowed in, provided they take two PCR tests, one before boarding their flight and one upon arrival, which is also a requirement for Israelis who travel abroad. They also must take a serological test to prove the presence of antibodies.Currently, Israel does not recognize vaccination certificates issued by foreign nations, with the exception of Bahrain. The government is in conversations with several countries to reach agreements on the issue.On Wednesday morning, the coronavirus cabinet extended all regulations currently in place until May 31.There were 605 active cases at last count on Wednesday. At the peak of the pandemic, there were more than 80,000.Over the past week, the number of new daily cases never exceeded 35, compared with several thousand every day in January. On Tuesday, 22 people tested positive for the coronavirus.Fifty-nine people were in serious conditions on Wednesday, compared with 160 last month. When the third wave of the coronavirus was raging in the first weeks of 2021, there were about 1,200 people in serious condition.
