coronavirus testing

A woman gets a dose of COVID-19 vaccine, at a vaccine center in Jerusalem on November 28, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

PM said considering further measures to encourage unvaccinated to get COVID shots

Mandatory inoculation for public sector workers, requiring parents to pay for children’s PCR tests among options reportedly discussed; report says travel restrictions may be eased

December 2, 2021, 10:42 am

PM said considering further measures to encourage unvaccinated to get COVID shots

Mandatory inoculation for public sector workers, requiring parents to pay for children’s PCR tests among options reportedly discussed; report says travel restrictions may be eased

By Stuart Winer

A Covid-19 testing center at the departure hall of the Brussels Airport. November 07, 2021. (Nati Shohat/FLASH90)

November 25, 2021, 10:07 am

Travelers to Israel can now take rapid test, rather than PCR, to enter country

Antigen test must be taken in the 24 hours before arrival; move comes after Israel reopened to vaccinated tourists earlier this month

By TOI staff

A medical employee takes a COVID-19 rapid antigen sample in Lod on October 17, 2021. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

November 16, 2021, 9:12 pm

Health Ministry plans to ease pre-flight testing rules for incoming travelers

According to proposal, those flying to Israel will be allowed to choose between a PCR test in the 72 hours before departure or a rapid antigen test in the 24 hours pre-boarding

By Amy Spiro

Some of the millions of coronavirus antigen testing kits that arrived in Israel on October 12, 2021. (Haim Zach / GPO)

October 13, 2021, 10:04 am

Millions of coronavirus test kits for schoolchildren arrive in country

Swabs are intended for ‘Green Classrooms’ plan that mandates daily testing instead of quarantine for students exposed to virus

By TOI staff

Young Israeli students arrive for their first day of school after the holidays, at Gabrieli school, in Tel Aviv. September 30, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

October 10, 2021, 12:04 pm

Schoolkids’ quarantine exemption hits snags, starts only in some ‘green’ towns

Education Ministry says not prepared logistically, many parents don’t have antigen test kits; nationwide plan to be rolled out gradually in coming days, but rules still unclear

By TOI staff

Young Israeli students have their antigen test results checked as they arrive for their first day of school after the holidays, at Aseh Hayil school in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, September 30, 2021 (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)

October 8, 2021, 6:31 pm

Confusion swirls around plan to end quarantine for schoolkids in ‘green’ cities

Education Ministry has reportedly yet to decide where to begin implementing new quarantine exemption, which is set to take effect in days, due to apparent shortage of rapid tests

By TOI staff

Young students arrive for their first day of school after the holidays, at Gabrieli School in Tel Aviv, September 30, 2021 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

October 8, 2021, 4:48 am

Students in low infection towns won’t have to quarantine after virus contact

PM, Health Ministry say pupils can return to class upon receipt of negative PCR test; they will then take rapid tests for a week, at the end of which a negative PCR will clear them

By TOI staff

A technician collects swab samples for COVID-19 at a testing center run by the Tel Aviv municipality, on July 20, 2021. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

October 7, 2021, 3:08 pm

Israel starts pilot program for fast, swab-less PCR tests

Health Ministry says that for 2 weeks, some will take tests with both nasal swabs and new method; authorities will then decide whether to change how PCR testing is done

By TOI staff

A mother tests her son with a COVID-19 rapid antigen home test in Haniel, central Israel on September 27, 2021. (Chen Leopold/Flash90)

October 1, 2021, 10:26 pm

All students to get multiple home COVID tests for regular screening — TV

Report says 30 million kits on their way to Israel to allow ongoing testing and prevent quarantine in classes with positive cases

By TOI staff

September 30, 2021, 6:38 am

Students return to schools after holidays, with new COVID measures at forefront

Only 81% of parents collect testing kits needed for kids to gain entry to school; some 100,000 in quarantine; pilot program sees some classes avoid quarantine if child gets virus

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks to reporters in New York before boarding a plane back to Israel, September 29, 2021. (Avi Ohayon/GPO)

September 29, 2021, 11:41 am

Bennett says he ‘respects’ health officials, yet opposes nationwide restrictions

Before heading home from US, PM calls for vaccination push in Arab towns, where inoculation rate is low and morbidity high; education chief backs idea of vaccines for ages 5-11

By Lazar Berman and TOI staff

A girl performs a COVID-19 rapid antigen home kit test ahead of returning back to school, following the Sukkot holiday, in Haniel, central Israel on September 27, 2021. (Chen Leopold/Flash90)

September 29, 2021, 6:43 am

Strikes, Green Pass chaos and testing hesitancy threaten return to school

Daycares open with a 2-hour delay Wednesday amid warnings of a full strike; union threatens lawsuit and strike as almost half of school teachers said not to qualify for Green Pass

By TOI staff

Kids at a school in Tel Aviv hold up antigen coronavirus testing kits, on August 30, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

September 27, 2021, 1:42 am

Children recovered from COVID exempted from antigen tests when schools resume

Rules eased for those under 12 who had the virus in last 6 months; schools and kindergartens return Wednesday after Sukkot break

By TOI staff

Travelers are seen at Ben Gurion Airport, on July 19, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

September 20, 2021, 2:14 pm

Recently recovered from COVID now exempt from virus test before entering Israel

Israelis can present documentation proving recovery within the last 3 months, instead of a negative PCR test; but all are still required to be tested upon arrival

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Education Minister Dr. Yifat Shasha-Biton sit with children at the Eli Cohen Meuhad School in Yeruham, at the start of the new school year, on September 1 , 2021. (Haim Zach / GPO)

September 20, 2021, 11:20 am

‘Let them fight’: Bennett slammed for pushing parents to vax-shame each other

PM reportedly wanted to pit parents against each other in effort to encourage vaccination of kids; National Parents Association urges him to rescind ‘shocking’ statements

By TOI staff