Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash urges Israelis to avoid international travel, saying those who choose to fly abroad “are endangering themselves and their families.”
He warns that additional countries will soon be added to the list of states that will require quarantine for returning Israelis, including the vaccinated and recovered.
Ash says the closure of the airport is not currently being discussed.
His comments come as reports say 37,000 travelers passed through Ben Gurion Airport on Monday.
“Quarantine is the best measure to prevent the entry of infections from abroad,” he adds, urging returning travelers to heed the rules.
Ash acknowledges the vaccines’ effectiveness in preventing contagion appears to be reduced for the Delta strain, but he emphasizes the shots remain highly effective in preventing serious illness and urges those who are not immunized to get vaccinated.
He predicts that Israel could see 2,000 new COVID cases a day in two weeks’ time, and 30 new serious cases per day.
Ash says the elderly must take greater precautions to avoid contracting the virus.
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Monday, July 19, 2021
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