Yigal Slovik, Education Ministry Director General, on Wednesday morning confirmed that unvaccinated teachers must test for coronavirus if they wish to enter schools.
In an interview with Galei Zahal Radio, Slovik said, "Teachers who refuse get vaccinated and to be tested may not enter the schools."
"If there is an institution in which everyone is this way - we will make the appropriate adjustments," he added."We are not in favor of closing schools with a free hand, but of cooperation between the Health Ministry and the Education Ministry and the local authority."
On Wednesday morning, 2.4 million Israeli schoolchildren started the new school year. According to Israel Hayom, 35,508 students have been diagnosed with coronavirus, and another 55,390 students are in quarantine.
Last week, Israel's Justice Ministry approved withholding the salaries of teachers who refuse to either receive the coronavirus vaccination or undergo frequent testing. However, the Ministry added that the teachers can be required to test every few days but not every 24 hours, and that the State may be required to participate in the cost of testing unvaccinated teachers.