Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Israel admits Covid mutation rendered travel bans useless

Israel admits Covid mutation rendered travel bans useless

Amid a spike in Omicron infections, Tel Aviv is retiring its ‘red list’ of destinations
Israel has lifted its strict Covid-19 travel ban against ‘high risk’ countries, such as the US and UK, acknowledging that the spread of the Omicron variant has rendered such restrictions obsolete.

Nachman Ash, the director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Health, revealed on Thursday that travel would resume to and from ‘red-list’ countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland – which are considered by Israel to be some of the “highest risk” nations in the world.

Israeli citizens and residents were previously prohibited from leaving Israel for red-list countries, while non-citizens from red-list countries were prohibited from entering the country.

The change in restrictions will apply to Israeli citizens, residents, and tourists alike, however all travelers will have to provide evidence of vaccination or recovery from the virus. The red-list countries – namely the US, the UK, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Mexico, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Tanzania – will join the orange list, which requires travelers to undergo 24 hours of quarantine upon arrival in Israel, and the state will still advise people against traveling to those places with “high local infection rates.”

Ash – who received his fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose this week – suggested on Thursday that the Omicron variant would soon “take over” as the dominant strain, with Covid-19 cases reaching 50,000 cases a day, making present red-list restrictions redundant.

Some 66% of Israelis have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while 47% have received an additional booster dose, according to the NYT tracker. Israel also recently announced a fourth vaccine dose for those over 60. Despite intense vaccination efforts, coronavirus cases in Israel have been on the rise, and the country recorded its highest daily rise in infections on Wednesday since the beginning of the pandemic.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Reports in Gaza: 5 dead from the impact of aid packages dropped by the USA
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, instead proposing its own six-week ceasefire plan contingent upon the release of all hostages held by Hamas
Prince William Urges End to Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel has gone ‘beyond self-defence’ in Gaza, says Labour’s Streeting
EU Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Conflict
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
Saudi Arabia Introduces Terms for 30-Year Income Tax Exemption for Multinational Companies
Saudi FM: Establishing Palestinian state is only pathway for Mideast stability
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
Elon Musk's Starlink Gets License For Israel, Parts Of Gaza
Influencers Exploit X Platform for Profit Amidst Israel-Gaza Conflict
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
International Criminal Court's Chief "Deeply Concerned" By Rafah Bombing
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Indian female military officers commend Saudi Arabia's progress and women's empowerment
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Israel Utilizes AI Military Technology in Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
China Warns Iran to Halt Houthi Attacks or Damage Trade Ties
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Iran-backed hackers interrupt UAE TV streaming services with deepfake news
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken: The Israelis underwent dehumanization on 7.10, this does not give them the right to do this to others.
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
UK Bans Misleading "Zero Emissions" Claims for Electric Cars
Gaza's Teen Inventor Sparks Light in Displacement
Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Proposal, Insists On Total Victory Over Hamas
Guterres appoints independent UNRWA review panel
Private Sector Employment Hits Record High with Over 11 Million Employees in January
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
ZATCA Cautions Against Scammer Schemes
INTRA Defense Technologies inaugurates drone factory in Riyadh
×