Czech Republic opens to inoculated Israelis; unvaccinated can show negative test
Czech foreign minister in video with Israeli ambassador: ‘We look forward to seeing you in beautiful Prague’
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The Czech Republic will open its doors to vaccinated Israeli tourists from Tuesday, the country’s foreign minister announced in a meeting with the Israeli ambassador on Monday.
“Please, come to Czechia and spend your summer vacations here,” Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek said in a video filmed together with the Israeli ambassador to the country, Daniel Meron.
“We look forward to seeing you here in beautiful Prague,” Kulhanek added.
Those who are unvaccinated can still visit the country by providing a valid negative COVID-19 test, the Ynet news site reported.
On a whim, Israeli Ambassador @AmbMeron and I decided to shoot a short video promoting the Czech Republic as a popular tourist destination. So pls do check it out????. The Czech Republic is now open for Israeli tourists. @Israel @TimesofIsrael @Jerusalem_Post pic.twitter.com/7Uli9LCXNu
— Jakub Kulhanek (@JakubKulhanek) May 31, 2021
However, Israeli health officials are still warning against any unnecessary travel amid fears of the import of new virus variants that could potentially be vaccine-resistant.
Israel’s mass vaccination drive, which has already given both shots to over half the population, along with lockdown measures, brought down the number of new daily cases (based on a weekly average), from 8,600 at the peak of the health crisis to just 19 on Sunday.
At the height of the pandemic, there were 88,000 active cases in the country and 1,228 serious cases; as of Tuesday, there were 340 active infections and 48 people in serious condition.
In the Czech Republic, the number of new daily cases was also on a downward trend, with 454 based on a weekly average, and 9,939 active cases as of Monday according to Health Ministry data. At the height of the pandemic, there were 159,926 active cases in the country.
In the past year, ties between Israel and the European nation have become closer.
Kulhanek visited Israel last month in a show of solidarity during the recent round of fighting with the Hamas terror group, and in March, the Czech Republic opened the Jerusalem office of its embassy after announcing its plans to do so in December 2020.
The Times of Israel Community.