Israel on Monday barred travel to 10 new countries, including the United States, Canada and Germany, as its total number of omicron cases reached 175 and the prime minister warned that the fifth wave of the coronavirus had already arrived.
Israel’s updated “red list” now also includes Italy, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Morocco, Portugal, Turkey and Switzerland. The list includes most of Africa as well. The ban against the added countries will come into effect Tuesday at midnight.
Travel from Israel to red countries is forbidden, unless travelers receive permission from a special committee. Israeli citizens flying from a red country must enter a seven day quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated — entry of non citizens was already banned last month.
sraeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a televised news conference on Sunday that Israel had “bought precious time” by banning the entry of non-citizens and restricting international travel in recent weeks, but that it was now the citizens’ responsibility to take action. He urged all eligible Israelis to fully vaccinate themselves and their children.
The definition for “fully vaccinated” in Israel requires travelers to be 12 years or older and have received a booster shot at least one week prior, or be within six months of having received a second vaccination shot. Last month, Israel opened up vaccinations to children as young as 5.
