The Ministry of Health is discussing changing the quarantine plan for vaccinated people who have been exposed to carriers of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
According to a report in Kan 11 News on Sunday, the options being considered are isolation until a negative test, three days of isolation or a total exemption.
Ministers who are members of the Coronavirus Cabinet told Kan 11 News, "Abolishing the obligation of quarantine for vaccinated people exposed to Omicron does not encourage immunization and will actually lead to a state of lockdown without lockdown."
Professor Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute told Kan 11 News that "if the current policy continues - we will reach 600,000 to 800,000 people in quarantine at the height of the wave within two weeks plus."
The report also said that the National Emergency Authority is preparing for a scenario in which 50% of the manpower in the economy will be unable to work due to quarantine within days. The National Emergency Authority’s main concern is that such a scenario will lead to essential services and products not being readily available.
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz told Kan 11 News in an interview that "as soon as the infection spreads, there is no point in stopping entry from abroad. Opening the skies will not take long, possibly next week. We are also discussing the abolition of isolation for the vaccinated. "
On the vaccination of children, Minister Horowitz said that "everyone should ask themselves why they would leave their children exposed to the disease."