Ben Gurion International airport
Ben Gurion International airportAvi Dishi/Flash90

The Prime Minister's Office and Health Ministry issued a joint announcement that the Ministerial Committee for Coronavirus has approved the Health Ministry recommendation to extend the obligation to isolate in a motel for returnees from South Africa, Zambia, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates by a further 14 days starting on Thursday, January 28th.

In addition, the committee approved the recommendation that returnees from Portugal will also have to go into motel isolation starting on Thursday, January 28th.

The third closure was due to end next week, but the Health Ministry has now requested that the end date be extended for another week to prevent an increase in cases.

Health Ministry Deputy Director Prof. Itamar Grotto today said the vaccines would bring down morbidity "soon", and estimated that it would happen "over the next week, maybe the week after."

He also commented on the Health Ministry request to extend the lockdown once more, saying: "I think it's right to continue the lockdown at least until we start to see a downward trend, at least in the new severe-condition patients, and this is not something we see yet."