In the fight against the new omicron variant of the corona virus from southern Africa, Israel is isolating itself. The government prohibits foreigners from all countries from entering the country. The measure should take 14 days. In Israel, omicron has been confirmed in one person so far. There are also seven other suspected cases. Many other countries, including Austria, initially responded with travel stops for southern Africa.
Israel will also use cell phone surveillance again to find infected people. According to media reports, the Israeli coronavirus cabinet decided on the new restrictions on Saturday evening. They are supposed to come into force this Sunday evening.
Until further notice, all people returning to Israel from any country – including vaccinated Israelis – must be isolated for three days when entering Israel, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The travelers would be tested at the airport and then have to undergo a PCR test on the third day and are only allowed to leave the isolation if the result is negative, it said.
Unvaccinated Israelis would have to be isolated for seven days if the test was negative. All foreigners who received an entry permit to Israel would have to be quarantined in a state “coronavirus hotel”.
The Israeli government had previously largely restricted entry from Africa. Many African countries are classified as “red countries”. The countries in North Africa are excluded.
Previously, numerous other countries, including Austria, had tried to arm themselves against Omikron with entry bans from southern Africa. Austria also sealed itself off from southern Africa on Saturday and imposed landing bans. However, the first suspected Omikron case was also reported in this country on Saturday, in Tyrol.
Britain, which reported two Omicron cases on Saturday, also imposed draconian measures. All those entering the country must therefore be in quarantine. A PCR test is required on the second day after entry, and the quarantine must not be left until the test result is negative.
The German government is also drastically restricting entry from eight countries in the region after the first cases of infections with the Omikron variant became known. South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, eSwatini, Malawi and Lesotho are now classified as virus variant areas. Airlines are essentially only allowed to carry German citizens or people living in Germany from there to Germany. But it is not a flight ban. A two-week quarantine obligation applies to those entering the country – including those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered. It cannot be shortened by negative tests either. In the meantime there are also returnees from South Africa in Germany.
The omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was first detected in southern Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies them as “very worrying”. The EU health authority ECDC speaks of serious concerns that the variant could significantly reduce the effectiveness of the corona vaccines and increase the risk of re-infections. The exact effects of the variant have not yet been determined.
Belgium was the first European country to confirm an Omikron case on Friday. The Netherlands, however, is viewed with particularly great concern, where 61 out of 600 passengers on two flights from South Africa tested positive for the corona virus on Friday. Rapid tests corroborated the suspicion that they too carry the new variant. The Dutch authorities are 95 percent sure about this, it said. Omikron has also already reached Italy and the Czech Republic.