Entrance to coronavirus hotel
Entrance to coronavirus hotelNati Shohat/Flash 90

The government approved on Sunday evening a decision stating that, as of 1:00 a.m. Monday morning, anyone returning from the UAE and Brazil will be required to isolate in a hotel, including anyone who has stayed in Brazil for the past 14 days. The decision will be in effect until January 27, 2021.

In addition, a similar decision that was made regarding returnees from South Africa and Zambia was extended for another ten days, until January 27, 2021.

Israel fears that the South African variant of the coronavirus will be found among Israelis returning from the UAE and South Africa. This variant is believed to be much more contagious than the normal strain of the coronavirus. A new strain has been discovered that concerns the health care system has been discovered in Brazil as well.

At the same time, it was decided to extend the isolation obligation in a hotel for two weeks for anyone returning from any country in the world, unless he agreed to be tested upon entering the country and undertakes to undergo another test after 9 days, until February 1, 2021.

The Ministry of Health is working on a move that would require the presentation of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a plane to Israel.

"The existence of the variants in different countries worries us," coronavirus project manager Prof. Nachman Ash said on Sunday. “It is difficult to set up a hermetic barrier at the border, but we are doing everything to block these variants from reaching the country.”

“We are promoting a move that will require a test 72 hours before boarding the plane and the goal is to find the variants before they arrive in the country. In any case, all those who return to Israel are tested,” he added.