The Health Ministry is considering shelving "Green Pass" protocols that prohibit the unvaccinated or unrecovered from COVID-19 from entering many public places.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

On Saturday night, the government's expert advisory committee on the pandemic met and following a discussion on the matter decided to recommend to the government that the Green Pass restrictions, as they are currently stipulated, not be renewed when they expire next week.

The potential move comes as more experts are saying the Green Pass is becoming obsolete with the rampant spread of the Omicron variant that has changed the way governments are approaching the pandemic.

According to one report, some of the experts believe that booster shots are sufficiently preventative against serious illness, but with the Omicron variant, vaccines are insufficiently protective against infection.

Hence, according to the experts on the panel, the Green Pass system should be preserved and incorporated into a system that includes negative antigen tests such as those being used in schools. The practical meaning of this is that people who are not vaccinated may gain entrance to public venues via a display of a negative virus test.

Additionally, the expert committee recommended several measures to enable at-risk groups to protect themselves, such as allowing them to utilize their sick leave to remain home from work in the next few weeks as the virus wave peaks, without needing a doctor's note in order to receive compensation and allowing children to stay home from school likewise without medical authorization.

A decision must be made in eight days when the current rules expire.

Health Ministry officials are debating three options: canceling it entirely, extending the Green Pass but with less restrictions, or converting it to the "Purple Pass," which places a cap on the number of people allowed to gather at one time in certain locations.

The preferred route, according to the Hebrew language Walla! News portal, is to keep the Green Pass on a "low flame" with the infrastructure in place in case the tougher restrictions need to be quickly reinstituted.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The Green Pass digital certificate currently applies to those who have been vaccinated, have recovered in the last six months, or have received a negative test result in the past 72 hours.

The World Health Organization said on Sunday that it is "plausible" that the rapid spread of the Omicron strain is leading Europe toward the end of the pandemic and into an endemic phase where COVID-19 becomes more of a predictable and manageable illness, such as seasonal influenza.

i24NEWS contributed to this report.

The post Health Ministry panel likely to recommend scrapping Green Pass system appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

New Year's Eve celebrations around the world have been called off as the coronavirus pandemic casts gloom over festivities for a second year.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter 

Global coronavirus infections hit a record high over the past seven-day period, with an average of just over one million cases detected a day worldwide between Dec. 24 and 30, some 100,000 up on the previous peak posted on Wednesday, according to Reuters data.

In Israel, police on Friday announced they had finalized preparations for New Year's Eve, with officers ordered to enforce green pass restrictions in businesses put in place to keep the Omicron variant in check. The Israel Police noted both covert and overt operational activity in the field of business licensing had also been ramped up in recent days.

Beginning Friday night and continuing throughout the weekend, thousands of police officers and volunteers are set to be dispatched at major traffic arteries, entertainment venues, and other places expected to see mass crowding across the country. Checkpoints will be set up, and officers will act to remove those who pose a threat to others from the road.

Police will act to ensure revelers remain safe, enforcing law and order. Special emphasis will be given to life-threatening traffic violations, road rage incidents, and drunk driving.

In a statement, the Israel Police said New Year's Eve was typically characterized by heavy traffic on the roads as revelers make their way to and from events. 

"The combination of drinking alcohol and driving constitutes a genuine threat to people's lives and is a significant cause of fatal traffic accidents. The Israel Police will act to enforce the law against such drivers with the aim of preventing the next accident and so that everyone can return home safely," according to the statement.

As a reminder, mask-wearing is mandatory in all closed and non-residential places and in outdoor gatherings of 50 or more individuals.

Businesses must adhere to current green pass restrictions.

Those caught violating quarantine will be fined and may result in the opening of a criminal investigation. 

Gloomy New Year's expected for many around the world

With numerous countries registering all-time highs, authorities in many places have called off celebrations to welcome in 2022, fearful that the Omicron variant will take advantage of gatherings to spread even faster.

Australia, however, was determined to ring in 2022 with a bang despite surges in infections to record levels in some places.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told people to "enjoy the evening," while Dominic Perrottet, premier of New South Wales state, urged everyone to "head out and enjoy New Year's" even as daily infections in the state nearly doubled to a record 21,151.

Perrottet said he took heart from higher levels of vaccination and the fact that hospitals were coping with the Omicron wave.

"Our position remains incredibly strong," he told reporters.

Social distancing rules are in place and masks are required indoors in Sydney but thousands of people are expected to flock to its harbourside to watch New Year fireworks, with queues forming at many vantage points from early in the morning.

Secretive North Korea also appeared to be preparing to buck the trend and celebrate the New Year with midnight fireworks at Kim Il Sung Square in its capital, Pyongyang.

Commercial satellite imagery showed preparations were underway with a stage being installed in the square, according to NK News, a Seoul-based website that monitors North Korea.

The Rodong Sinmun state-run newspaper ran photographs of flower shops in Pyongyang crowded with mask-wearing customers buying blooms for the celebrations.

North Korea sealed its borders after the pandemic began and has not reported a single case of COVID-19.

Over the border in South Korea, the mood was not so festive.

A traditional midnight bell-ringing ceremony has been canceled for the second year and authorities announced an extension of stricter distancing rules for two weeks to tackle a persistent surge in Infections.

China, where the coronavirus first emerged in late 2019, was on high alert against the virus, with the city of Xian under lockdown and New Year events in other cities canceled and authorities urging restraint.

Authorities in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, will close 11 roads that usually draw big crowds for New Year's Eve, police said, while Malaysia has banned large gatherings nationwide and canceled a fireworks display at the Petronas Twin Towers in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took to his official YouTube channel to urge people to wear masks at parties and limit the number of people attending, while Tokyo's famous Shibuya entertainment district has banned year-end parties.

New Zealand, famous for its success in keeping the virus at bay, will see some celebrations. Its biggest city, Auckland, eased restrictions this week to let people enjoy some song and dance.

Taiwan, another coronavirus mitigation success, will hold a pop concert in front of city hall in the capital, Taipei, and with midnight fireworks lighting up Taipei 101, which was briefly the world's tallest building. Those attending the concert will have to wear masks, register their names, and will only be allowed to drink water.

Indian authorities began to impose stringent rules on Thursday to prevent large gatherings with night curfews in all major cities and restaurants in effect to limit customers.

Despite the curbs, domestic tourists have been flocking to the famous beaches, bars, and nightclubs of Goa on the country's western coast to ring in the New Year.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories! 

The post Israel Police step up enforcement as world prepares for 2nd COVID New Year's Eve appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A 75-year-old man who succumbed to COVID at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba on Tuesday died of the Delta variant, not Omicron, as had been widely reported by Israeli media, the Health Ministry clarified on Wednesday.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

According to Kan 11 News, the man had pre-existing health conditions and had not received a COVID booster shot after receiving the second dose of the vaccine more than six months ago.

As the Omicron variant continues to spread, the Coronavirus cabinet decided Tuesday night to instate a number of new restrictions in an attempt to combat it. Some communities will be instructed to switch to distance learning, depending on their morbidity and vaccination rates.

Meanwhile, media outlets all over the world rushed to report a recommendation Tuesday from a Health Ministry task force that a second booster shot (a fourth vaccination in total) be administered to Israelis age 60 and over, to healthcare workers, at-risk patients, and people who work with the elderly.

The task force also recommended that booster shots be made available three months after the second dose of the vaccine, rather than five.

At the start of the meeting, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he was "waiting with baited breath for a fourth shot for at-risk population groups to be approved."

"We expect to soon see a trend of the number [of cases] doubling every two to three days, possibly less. The public needs to be aware that we are expecting a dramatic rise in morbidity. We can't prevent the wave, there's no way. But we can and are giving the citizens of Israel all the tools with which to protect themselves from serious illness, as some of them will catch the virus," Bennett said.

However, not everyone at the meeting shared Bennett's outlook. Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman was caught by Channel 12 News telling director of Public Health Services in the Health Ministry Dr. Sharon Elroi Preiss that "Omicron is like the flu."

Speaking against the proposed restriction, Lieberman said, "We've been living with Omicron for a month and a half. Thus far, about 12 people in the world have died of it, as far as we know. We have 81 [COVID] patients in serious condition, of whom 41 are on ventilators."

"As far as Omicron goes, at the moment I'm not seeing that it's having more effect than the flu. Like we live with the flu, we're living with Omicron," Lieberman said, adding "I don't think that at the moment it's right to take steps like restricting public gatherings. There's no justification for that. It puts us back to having to pay compensation."

Elroi Preiss responded, "Mr. Finance Minister, we've presented the data from South Africa. In the cabinet meeting, as well, which I don't know if you attended or not, we presented data from South Africa that showed increased hospitalization, with less deaths, but still a rise."

"Mr. Finance Minister tossed out inaccurate numbers. In South Africa alone, 900 people have died of Omicron," Elroi Preiss added.

i24NEWS contributed to this report

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post World abuzz over Israel's proposal to provide 4th COVID jab appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The coronavirus reproduction rate continued to rise in the past 24 hours and currently stands at 1.09, according to Health Ministry data published Wednesday. Of the 88,514 Israelis that were screened for the virus on Tuesday, 603 (0.74%) tested positive.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter 

There are currently 6,505 active cases in the country with 174 patients hospitalized. Of those, 124 are in serious condition.

Thus far, 4,056,586 Israelis have been fully vaccinated, 5,768,276 received two doses and 6,276,292 got their first jabs.

Israel has reported 1,340,320 coronavirus cases, including 8,178 deaths, since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accompanied his son David as he received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine today.

"I call on all Israeli parents to come and have their children vaccinated. It is safe and it safeguards our children."https://t.co/aiFv5ylXhr pic.twitter.com/NRAQ1NcFSh

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 23, 2021

Also on Tuesday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accompanied his nine-year-old son David to the Clalit Health Services clinic in Herzliya to receive his first vaccination dose, as Israel launched a national vaccination campaign in the morning for children between the ages of 5 and 11.

We have begun a nationwide campaign to vaccinate children in order to protect them. This safeguards both parents and children, and all of Israel. I call on all parents to have their children inoculated, Bennett said.

Speaking at a Coronavirus Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the ministry's Director of Public Health Services Dr. Sharon Elroi Preiss also encouraged parents to vaccinate their children.

"More than 3 million children [aged 12-15] have already been vaccinated and there were no reports of side effects. The risk of getting infected is much higher than getting vaccinated," she said.

Elroi Preiss also pointed out that "a small percentage of children" also develop the pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS).

"It is a severe syndrome that appears a few weeks after the child recovers from the virus. Loss of taste is evidence of an effect on the brain, and there is evidence that the coronavirus enters the brain and affects it."

Despite the rising morbidity rate, the committee decided not to reimpose restrictions on public life. Nevertheless, it extended the "green pass" vaccine certificate mandate for indoor gatherings for another two weeks.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post In troubling trend, number of COVID cases inches up appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Israel's coronavirus infection rate increased slightly from 1.88% to 2% Tuesday, according to Health Ministry. Of the 122,135 Israelis who tested for the virus Monday, 2,323 were found to have COVID-19.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Israel has 25,127 active cases of the virus. There are 427 people in serious condition, the lowest number recorded since Aug. 11, 187 of whom are on ventilators.

Although 1,275,694 Israelis have recovered from the virus since the outbreak of the pandemic, 7,940 have died.

Coronavirus chief Salman Zarka said: "We are following morbidity trends and are very optimistic. There is a decrease in the number and percentage of positive coronavirus [tests]." He said, "It takes time, but there is a decrease in seriously ill and those on ventilators. In another two weeks, serious morbidity in hospitals will also decline. On the other hand, it is important to say: We aren't out [of the woods] just yet."

"The virus is circulating among us, and we must be careful to protect ourselves. The way to protect [ourselves] is to adhere to the guidelines and get vaccinated, whether it's the first, second, or third dose. We have proved clearly that people with two doses, once half a year has passed, are unprotected. The entire world is learning from us. Both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency, which decided to vaccinate with the third dose after half a year has passed [since the last dose]. The more morbidity declines – and we're happy about that, there will be easing of restrictions, and we can return to a routine similar to normal times."

As for efforts to encourage vaccination, he said, "We are holding ongoing dialogue with the public. I hope the fake news is behind us because we see the results. We'll bring the vaccine to [your] door and neighborhood in 12 cities. We appointed a vaccine chief in Arab communities. We're sending mobile units to schools and various communities, at night, in order to make vaccines accessible. 3.7 million people received the third dose, and they're not wrong."

Zarka said Israel has acquired doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine and would transfer them to Israel's four healthcare providers in the coming days. "Our guidelines are for the healthcare provider's doctor to decide on the specific need for providing the vaccine. If the medical decision recommends it, we will authorize it." He said the vaccine would be administered to those who developed side effects and were told not to receive a third dose of either Moderna's or Pfizer's vaccine. "They can protect themselves by getting AstraZeneca's vaccine," he said.

As for Israel's policy for exiting the fourth wave of the outbreak, he said: "We will do it slowly and carefully. Today, outside restaurants no longer require a green pass. In other places, in particular, indoors, it will take some time. We want to protect people and prevent the threat of infection. As things progress, we will bring it to a discussion in the cabinet …. For now, the cabinet has no plans to meet, and it's not on the table," he said.

As for how long the green pass program will remain in effect, Zarka said its cancellation was not up for discussion. "The green pass will be part of our routines. We learned from the previous wave that it is not right to exit a wave quickly, especially when there is complex morbidity in the rest of the world. We will need to be cautious so that we don't get the fifth wave."

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

A large study in France has found vaccination to be highly effective at preventing severe cases of coronavirus including from the delta variant.

Published on Monday, the research, which focuses on the prevention of severe illness and death, looked at data on 22 million people over the age of 50 from December 2020, when France first launched its vaccination campaign. Researchers compared the outcomes of 11 million vaccinated people with 11 million unvaccinated subjects and found that those who received jabs were 90% less likely to be hospitalized or to die.

The results confirm observations from the US, the UK, and Israel, but researchers say it is the largest study of its kind so far.

Vaccination appears to be nearly as effective when it comes to the delta variant, with 84% protection for people aged 75 and older and 92% for people between the ages of 50 and 75.

That estimate, however, is only based on a month of data, since the variant became dominant in France only in June 2021.

The study covers vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNtech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines.

AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail against COVID-19, which has proven to work as a preventative shot in the non-infected, was also shown to save lives and prevent severe disease when given as treatment within a week of first symptoms.

The drug, a combination of two antibodies called AZD7442, reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 or death by 50% in non-hospitalized patients who experienced symptoms for seven days or less, the English-Swedish drugmaker said Monday.

The risk reduction was even better in patients who started therapy within just five days of initial symptoms.

AstraZeneca executive Mene Pangalos said in a media call that the treatment results would mainly underscore the potential future use as non-vaccine prevention. "If and when this is approved it will be used in the treatment setting as well. But the real differentiator for this antibody is going to be in the prophylactic setting," he said.

Similar therapies made with a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies are being developed by Regeneron, Eli Lilly, and GlaxoSmithKline with partner Vir. These therapies are approved for emergency use in the United States for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

Regeneron's therapy showed 72% protection against symptomatic infection in the first week, and 93% after that.

GSK-Vir's showed a 79% reduction in the risk of hospitalization or death due to any cause, while Eli Lilly's therapy showed a 70% reduction in viral load at day seven compared to a placebo.

Merck & Co Inc, in turn, has emphasized the convenience of use of its anti-COVID-19 tablet, which cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 50% in a trial of early-stage patients with at least one risk factor.

Merck, collaborating with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, on Monday applied for US emergency clearance for the oral drug.

AstraZeneca, whose COVID-19 vaccine has been widely used across the globe, asked US regulators last week to grant emergency use authorization for AZD7442 as a preventative shot.

As such, it is designed to protect people who do not have a strong enough immune response to vaccines, primarily those who have received organ transplants or who are in cancer care.

"You can say the same for people who don't want to be vaccinated but want an antibody," Pangalos said.

The trial took place across 13 countries and involved more than 900 adult participants, 90% of whom suffered from conditions that made them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, such as cancer and diabetes. One half receiving AZD7442 and the rest a placebo.

Full trial results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, AstraZeneca said.

AZD7442 contains laboratory-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection. A vaccine, in contrast, relies on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells.

While Monday's results cover the use of AZD7442 in non-hospitalized patients, a separate trial is also studying its use as a treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

i24NEWS contributed to this report

The post Officials 'very optimistic' as COVID morbidity levels continue to decline appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Israel's coronavirus infection rate stands at 3.81%, according to Health Ministry data published Friday. Of the 120,967 people who tested for the virus Thursday, 4,313 were found to have the disease.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

This week, an average of 3,889 daily infections were recorded as opposed to the average of 7,861 in the first week of September.

There are 46,647 active cases of the virus. There are 607 people in serious condition, 214 of whom are on ventilators. The number of serious cases is now the lowest seen since Aug. 21.

Although 1,229,494 Israelis have recovered from the virus since the outbreak of the pandemic, 7,761 have died.

Over 6 million Israelis – 6,119,945 – have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, while 5,641,166 have received two doses. Over 3.4 million have received all three available doses of the vaccine. With Israelis set to require three vaccine doses to be eligible for the green pass starting Sunday, a record 78,000 received their third jab Thursday.

In an interview with 103FM Radio Friday, Ash said: "I don't believe we're managing the coronavirus [pandemic] conservatively. How can that be said after we made such far-reaching decisions as a booster shot?"

As for restrictions aimed at reining in infections, Ash said, "I'm not sure we need additional restrictions. We are experiencing a good downward trend. We consider things matter-of-factly each time. I don't have an instinct to propose restrictions at each meeting."

He said: "My sense is that we are on track to existing this wave. If I had to guess, there won't be a fifth wave. It depends on us getting vaccinated. The current wave broke out because we had a fairly large population that wasn't vaccinated. It also depends on whether the vaccine will be effective for longer."

He noted there would be as much enforcement of restriction. "People need to make the decision not to enter an event where they don't test [for coronavirus] because there is a higher risk [of infection] there."

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash, coronavirus chief Salman Zarka, and head of Public Health Services at the Health Ministry Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis to smooth things over following senior ministry officials' criticism of his remarks at the UN General Assembly earlier this week. In his address, Bennett said that while he respects the experts, he opposes the kinds of sweeping restrictions recommended by the ministry, the premier met with senior ministry officials Thursday. In a joint statement following their meeting, officials relayed a message of reconciliation and cooperation.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Health Ministry: Israel on track to exit current COVID wave appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The anti-vaccine community in Israel is crying foul after a prominent anti-vaxxer, Hai Shoulian, died of COVID-19 at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon on Monday.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Even after he was hospitalized, Shoulian clung not only to his refusal to be vaccinated, but also his opposition to social distancing regulations.

In one social media post he uploaded while in the hospital, Shoulian wrote: "Dear friends. My condition is critical. I'm in very serious condition on the COVID unit. I can't talk and respond to people. I don't have oxygen and can't get stabilized."

"This morning I woke up and was so wet it was as if someone had soaked me with buckets of water. It took me a few hours to realize who I was, where I was, and what I was doing here. A lack of oxygen is a terrible thing. I thank everyone who supports and worries about me. You can pray, it helps. The Lord is with me, I'm not afraid. I believe I'll make it past this, with God's help. I expect it to take two, maybe three weeks," Shoulian wrote.

Shoulian urged people to continue the anti-vaccine movement: "Keep fighting. The state is coercing criminal interests on us. Don't give up. The 'green pass' won't be instated in Israel. It has nothing to do with COVID. It has nothing to do with vaccines. It has to do with coercion. Am Yisrael Chai!"

Earlier, Shoulian had posted a video in which he described being arrested approximately a week ago, saying, "the police poisoned me."

"They poured a substance into my body. I'm telling you it was an attempt on my life. If something happens to me, you'll realize that this is the reality," Shoulian claimed.

Many commenters responded to Shoulian's death with claims that he had been murdered at the hospital.

"May he rest in peace. Killer of kings. Murdered. May God avenge his blood," one person wrote. There were numerous similar responses.

One supporter of Shoulian wrote in response to a picture of Shoulian wearing an oxygen mask that "Hospital protocols are designed to murder." Another chimed in: "This is fraud. They aren't giving you enough oxygen there." A few followers offered advice: "Put some chopped onion in a diaper and place it on your chest, it sanitizes the germs from your respiratory system."

However, a number of commenters expressed regret for Shoulian's death but pointed out that the vaccine could have saved his life.

"One of the most prominent anti-vaccine activists dies of COVID. Very sad. Vaccines save lives, get vaccinated," one person wrote.

"To his last moments, Shoulian opposed the vaccine that could have saved his life. What a shame, I hope that his tragic death will help outreach about the importance of vaccines," a different user said.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Anti-vax campaigner dies of COVID, supporters cry 'murder' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Two days before the 2021-22 school year is due to open on Sept. 1, nearly 88,000 students in Israel's public school system were in quarantine on Monday, 32,528 of whom are active or symptomatic carriers, the Health Ministry reported Monday.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

An additional 4,288 school staff were in quarantine, approximately half of whom are symptomatic.

The positive test rate for teachers and students stood at 8.8%, higher than the national positive test rate of 7.81%, which still comprises the highest rate seen in Israel since Feb. 10.

From midnight Sunday to Monday morning, an additional 52 COVID patients were listed in serious condition, a relatively high number for so early in the day. The virus reproduction rate remained stable at 1.1.

Despite the rise in the number of new serious COVID cases, the total number of serious cases nationwide appears to be stabilizing, with 731 patients in serious condition on Monday morning, including 160 on ventilators.

A total of 1,167 COVID patients were hospitalized as of Monday morning.

Since the pandemic hit Israel in early 2020, 6,880 Israelis have succumbed to the virus, including eight who died on Sunday.

On Sunday, Israel decided to expand its booster shot campaign to all eligible age groups.

Announcing the decision, Health Ministry Director-General Professor Nachman Ash said,"The decline in the effectiveness of the vaccines with time is proving to be significant," he said. "Today we are expanding the possibility of receiving a booster for the entire population, provided that five months have passed since they've received the second dose."

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said there was no doubt that a booster shot was "effective in preventing infection, and it significantly reduces the risk of serious and fatal illnesses."

COVID booster shots will now be offered to everyone age 12 and over.

With the expanded booster shot guidelines, the Health Ministry has decided that starting Oct. 1, only Israelis who have received the booster or who received the second dose of the vaccine fewer than five months ago (meaning after May 1) will be eligible for the ministry's "green pass" vaccination certificate. The ministry plans to cancel the certificates of anyone who does not comply.

In addition, starting Sept. 3, Israelis who receive the booster shot will be exempt from mandatory quarantine upon returned from foreign countries listed "orange" (starting one week after receiving the booster) and will only have to self-quarantine until they receive a negative COVID test.

i24NEWS contributed to this report

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post School year poised to start with 88,000 students, 4,200 teachers in quarantine appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The Ministry of Health on Sunday evening expanded the list of countries from which returnees must enter a full, seven-day quarantine subject to two negative COVID-19 tests. The list will take effect on Monday, August 16.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

According to the ministry's new guideline, travel to low-risk yellow countries is allowed for Israelis, but there is an obligation to quarantine upon a return to Israel until a negative test is received or for 24 hours, whichever comes first.

The additional travel restrictions come amid the backdrop of a quickly rising morbidity rate in Israel and growing calls for a nationwide lockdown. As of Sunday night, the Health Ministry reported that the number of seriously ill patients was 366, among them 53 on ventilators. There are some 30,000 active cases currently in Israel.

The countries defined as yellow are: Austria, Australia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Taiwan, Moldova, New Zealand, China, Singapore and the Czech Republic.

People who are unvaccinated must be in complete isolation.

The following is the list of red countries to which travel is prohibited, except in cases approved by the Exceptions Committee: Bulgaria, Brazil, Georgia, Mexico, Spain and Turkey.

It should be noted that among the yellow countries, the only ones allowing Israelis to enter are Austria, Czech Republic and Moldova. As such, they are the only countries Israelis can visit and return from without needing to quarantine (this only refers to vaccinated or recovered individuals, of course).

All countries that do not appear in one of the two categories above are defined as orange countries (countries at risk), and returnees from them will be required to be fully isolated – at any age – including those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered.

Also Sunday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett approved the outline of the plan for the start of the next school year, jointly formulated by Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz.

According to the plan, from this week until the return of students to kindergartens and schools, 1.6 million children from kindergarten to sixth grade will be asked to take serological tests. The tests will first be conducted in ultra-Orthodox cities, where the school year will begin this Monday, August 9, and will gradually extend to other students in the country.

The Education Ministry estimates that between 20% and 30% of children have recovered from the coronavirus or were asymptomatic. These children will receive a green passport and will be exempt from isolation.

In addition, 1.9 million children will receive a home screening kit approximately 48 hours before the start of the school year.

In parallel with serological tests and screening tests, the "green class" model was adopted in a school where a case of coronavirus was detected. According to this model, the patient will remain in isolation and the rest of the school – students and teachers – will perform screening tests for a week.

The plan is based on a principle that aims to ensure a routine and continuity of learning in the education system, despite recent the rise in coronavirus cases in the country.

"Over the past year and a half, children have paid a heavy price due to social disconnection and loneliness, as well as the loss of many school days. We have a moral and educational duty to create stability for them, for their personal and mental strength, as well as for the educational staff," said Shasha-Biton.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Israel expands list of 'yellow' countries for returnees appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett voiced harsh criticism of Israelis who refuse to get vaccinated for COVID in a speech Thursday after the Coronavirus Cabinet approved reinstating the so-called "green pass" in an attempt to curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant in Israel.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

"I respect different opinions, but there is a limit when it comes to human life," Bennett said in a televised speech. "We would like Israel to be an open and safe country. And for that to happen, every Israeli who is eligible to get inoculated, must do so."

Every Israeli over the age of 12 is currently eligible to get vaccinated.

"The Israeli government is investing billions in order to supply vaccines all over the country," Bennett continued. "And still, about a million Israelis simply refuse to get vaccinated. Anti-vaxxers are putting their health at risk, and the health of those around them. They impede the freedom of all Israelis, endangering our work, our children's studies and our freedom to celebrate the upcoming holidays with family.

"If these 1 million Israelis continue to refuse to get vaccinated, it will force the other 8 million to go into lockdown," Bennett warned.

To that end, the prime minister explained, the government has decided to reinstate the "green pass" system, as part of which "unvaccinated Israelis will not be able to enter entertainment venues and events with more than 100 participants, indoors or outdoors."

Bennett explained that unvaccinated Israelis would only be able to enter these venues if they presented proof of a negative COVID test, which they would have to pay for.

"There is no reason for taxpayers who fulfilled their civil duty to get immunized to fund COVID tests for those who refuse to get vaccinated," he said.

Also on Thursday, the Health Ministry released new data indicating that the COVID vaccine was 91% effective at preventing the development of serious cases in vaccinated individuals who contract the virus, but only 39% effective at preventing transmission of the virus.

The latest figures are based on cases logged from June 20 to July 17, when the Delta variant spread throughout Israel.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The ministry also said that among Israelis who were vaccinated in January 2021, the vaccine was 16% effective against contracting the virus, compared to a 44% efficacy rate among Israelis who were vaccinated in February, 67% of those who received their jabs in March, and 75% of those who were vaccinated in April.

According to data, 1,848,568 Israelis received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine in January. Of those, 5,770 have contracted the virus and 495 were hospitalized with cases of COVID-19, of whom 334 developed serious cases. A total of 123 patients who had been fully vaccinated in January have died of COVID-19.

The vaccine's effecacy in preventing serious cases of COVID-19 for those vaccinated in January remains 86%, according to the figures, only slightly lower than those vaccinated in the following months.

i24NEWS contributed to this report

The post Bennett: Anti-vaxxers endanger us all appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.