As Israel power through its campaign to vaccinate the entire population against coronavirus, concerns remain high about the rapidly developing variants of the virus, which were the subject of a meeting attended by high-ranking civil aviation official in Israel recently convened.
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The meeting, the main points of which were obtained by Israel Hayom, discussed a few optimistic points about the Israeli vaccination program. However, officials present said it was "not an exaggeration" to expect that no foreign citizens would be allowed to enter Israel for the rest of 2021, a scenario that would decimate the nation's tourism sector.
Officials in the meeting also discussed an expected recovery in the aviation sector as Israelis who are vaccinated and issued "green passports" resume travel abroad. Destinations mentioned as likely to be popular with Israelis included Cyprus, Dubai, Bahrain, Morocco, and the Seychelles.
Ben-Gurion International Airport is working to make itself a COVID-free space by implementing a number of steps that will likely include frequent COVID tests for airport employees and strict enforcement of public health protocols.
As of Monday, nothing said in the meeting had been formally announced. Decisions are expected to be taken over the next few weeks – although not by the Israel Airports Authority officials who were in the meeting, although they are in regular contact with the political echelon that does make policy decisions.
The Population Administration in the Interior Ministry, which issues visas for foreign citizens, confirmed that no decision about entry for foreigners had been made.
As far as Israeli citizens, as of this week any Israeli returning from any destination abroad is required to quarantine at home for 14 days, unless the Health Ministry approves a shorter quarantine after two negative tests. Israelis returning from the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, South Africa, and Zambia are required to quarantine at a dedicated government-run hotel facility due to the spread of the South African COVID variant in these countries.
Anyone who refuses to be tested for COVID upon arrival from any country will also be required to quarantine at a hotel.
Meanwhile, travel agents are reporting growing demand for vacation reservations for this coming spring and summer, due to the rapid vaccination and the likelihood that fully vaccinated citizens will not be required to quarantine upon arrival.
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