quarantine

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

October 13, 2021, 2:54 pm

Health Ministry cancels quarantine for parents caring for COVID-infected kids

Those who are vaccinated or have recovered from coronavirus will no longer need to isolate along with their children under the age of 12

By Stuart Winer

People with face masks in Jerusalem city center on October 3, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

October 11, 2021, 9:55 pm

Virus czar ‘optimistic’ about COVID-19 decline, but says restrictions to remain

Salman Zarka warns against too rapid lifting of health rules, hopes eased quarantine plans for school students will also be applied to kindergartens

By Stuart Winer and 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

Police officers enforce COVID-19 emergency regulations in Jerusalem, August 11, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

September 15, 2021, 4:26 am

Lawmakers expand quarantine surveillance program to cover all in isolation

System was initially meant to aid enforcement of isolation for those returning from abroad; Knesset panel head says need to avoid more drastic measures trumps privacy concerns

By TOI staff

Illustrative: A teenager looks at her mobile phone while quarantining (Maria Casinos; iStock by Getty Images)

September 3, 2021, 5:46 pm

Knesset advances bill to allow quarantine monitoring via app

Authorities will be able to track location, hold video calls with people required to isolate; any who opt out will be subject to other measures, including quarantine hotels

By TOI staff

File: Jews pray on a street near the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman, Ukraine, Sept. 20, 2006. (Menahem Kahana/AFP)

August 13, 2021, 11:29 pm

Ukraine okays Uman pilgrimage for vaccinated arrivals

Health authorities have launched a concentrated vaccination effort in the city, focusing on service providers and health professionals, in preparation for the pilgrimage

By JTA

Illustrative -- Police officers enforce COVID-19 regulations at Ben Gurion International Airport, on July 19, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

August 12, 2021, 3:20 pm

23 people caught trying to fly from Israel to New York with forged COVID tests

United Airlines passengers removed from flight and detained, then released on bail and fined, with possibility of further punishment under consideration; US authorities informed

By TOI staff

A woman is caught driving with two of her children in the trunk in Jerusalem on August 10, 2021. (Israel Police/Screen capture)

August 12, 2021, 4:31 am

Woman caught with kids in trunk claims ‘they’re in quarantine’

Border cops hand family $4,643 fine, since all 3 were required to stay in isolation for a week following their return from Turkey, and cars don’t count as quarantine location

By TOI staff

Illustrative: Taglit Birthright participants visit at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on August 18, 2014 (Flash90)

August 10, 2021, 8:18 am

Birthright cancels dozens of trips to Israel due to new quarantine rules

Organization that brings young Jews to Israel for free shelves 42 of its 10-day visits planned for the summer after government orders all arrivals from US to isolate for a week

By JTA and TOI staff

Travelers at Ben Gurion International Airport on August 5, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/FLASH90)

August 9, 2021, 3:03 am

As of August 16, Israelis can return from just 10 countries without quarantine

However, most of those destinations don’t allow Israeli travelers to visit; Austria, Czech Republic, Moldova only places it’s possible to go without needing to isolate upon return

By TOI staff

Travelers stand in line to get coronavirus checks upon arriving at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, on July 1, 2021. (Nati Shohat/ Flash90)

August 3, 2021, 4:54 pm

Arrivals from 18 more countries, including US, Greece, to require quarantine

Italy, France and Egypt also added to list of countries from which travelers must self-isolate from next Wednesday even if vaccinated

By Amy Spiro

Illustrative: Israeli travelers enter a COVID testing center at the Menahem Begin Terminal or Taba passage, between Israel and Egypt, on August 1, 2021. (Noam Revkin Fenton/FLASH90)

August 1, 2021, 8:59 pm

Police reprimanded rape victim for violating quarantine to go to hospital

An unvaccinated woman who was raped on vacation in Sinai returned to Israel and went to the hospital; she says policemen who came there treated her aggressively, fined her friend

By TOI staff

Shaare Zedek Medical Center staff wearing protective clothes move patients to the new coronavirus ward of the hospital in Jerusalem, on January 7, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

July 22, 2021, 3:08 am

Seriously ill COVID patients recovering faster than in earlier waves — report

Patients listed in serious condition spent an average of 8 days in the hospital in first week of July, compared to 10-12 days during first half of year

By TOI staff

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz speaks during a press briefing on July 21, 2021. (Screen capture: Facebook)

July 21, 2021, 5:17 pm

Health minister warns ‘long months’ ahead in battling Delta variant

Nitzan Horowitz predicts rise in serious cases, but aims to reopen schools in fall; ministers to meet Thursday, but reportedly won’t mandate isolation for all returning travelers

By TOI staff