Israel’s ban on foreigners currently runs through 6/15, though it has been extended several times and seems likely to be further extended.
There are exceptions, including students and people attending the wedding of a sibling, child, or grandchild.
However, until now, Israelis and foreigners who qualify for an exception to enter Israel must go into home quarantine for 14 days.
Israel has now published an exemption process.
If you qualify for entry, already had symptoms and have a medical summary of your illness and recovery, had a positive COVID-19 test, followed by a negative COVID-19 test, and had a positive antibody test, you can qualify to bypass the 14 day quarantine.
You will have to undergo a COVID-19 test when you land in Israel and enter quarantine until the results of that test are ready. Within 3 days you’ll have the results of the test and if it’s negative, you are free to leave quarantine immediately.
Hopefully Israel will implement a COVID-19 test like the rapid breathalyzer so that the process can be streamlined further.
The real question is will Israel start to allow foreigners into the country on condition that they meet these qualifications, before they start allowing all foreigners in? And will other countries do the same?
HT: Moishebatchy
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49 Comments On "Israel Is Now Offering Quarantine Exemptions For Qualified Entrants That Have Recovered From COVID-19 With Antibodies"
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Have tickets to Israel in August – hoping I can go!
So even with antibodies if I don’t have proof of positive results I can’t entet?
That’s my understanding:
But it’s possible that they would make an exception for that. If anyone tries, please let us know!
I know an Israeli that went a week ago and only had a positive antibodies test. He got a test in the airport and was out of quarantine in 3 days. Not sure how strict they are now.
Bunch of people went for Shvuos to Belz, Jerusalem. Lets see after Y”T what was their experience
This is the official Ministry of Health guide for people who have recovered from COVID-19 section 1.ג : https://www.health.gov.il/Subjects/disease/corona/Documents/bz-228927420.pdf
so if I took a test in lakewood, and I have the results from mayo clinic can i getonto the 11 oclock flight tonight to make it there for shavous?
Are you Israeli?
The last flight leaves at 8pm .
Can anyone please advise- for a dual American Israeli citizen flying from Israel to Nyc in June for the summer- will they face any problems
a) securing a flight
b) on entry to Jfk/Ewr
c) return to Israel Sept/Oct
Ps. he tried obtaining a Corona antibody test in Jerusalem and they are not available. Seems they’re only testing currently ill people.
Anyone can obtain an antibody best at Haddasa Hospital. (The charge 500NIS for Israelis and 700NIS for non Israeli citizens).
A. No problem
B. No problem
C. Will need to self quarantine for 2 weeks (unless policy changes by then).
Sorry Dan but this is from a Chaver Knesset what is not relevant for the health departmentץ
My sister is in Israel already for 8 days quarantine and she had the all test and she is still in quarantine. I don’t think this is correct
This is for new arrivals into Israel. It wasn’t in effect 8 days ago.
It’s still not a Health Ministry directive. It’s from an MK. It has no official weight when arriving at the airport. No one there will know the protocol.
Incorrect.
Naftali Bennett posted on his twitter handle that the hotel requirement is over , and it was. an MK won’t post that, unless it’s tru
Regarding antibody testing alone – the false positive rate is fairly high, and thus, with a positive test, it’s only about 50-50 that you have them .
Depends on the test. The Mayo Clinic used a poor test. Quest/Abbott is much better, though Roche looks like the gold standard.
But I haven’t been able to find where they do the Roche test in the US.
A 20% false positive rate is bad due to conditional probability if the null hypothesis is only 10-20% of people should have antibodies.
Abbot labs has had issues! You’re correct that Roche, is top of the line
Abbott’s regular antibody test is excellent. Their instant test is not.
Not sure Roche is better than Abbott
https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-phe-laboratory-evaluations-of-roche-and-abbott-antibody-tests/
it looks a little that this is only for Israelis that have Israeli medical records
The letter mentions foreigners. I’d assume that means students and those coming for a sibling/childs wedding.
Dan, so you think it’s worth to buy tickets for a trip to Israel in August with the currently low ticket prices, or do you think ticket prices can possibly continue to drop as time goes on, while flight frequency goes up, and presumably the demand stays pretty low throughout the next couple of months?
I’d wait and see when they open.
What if you don’t have a positive test result (you never took one) but have a negative test now and have positive antibodies
Was at the airport today. Same situation. It doesn’t help- we’re in quarantine.
Will a baby also need an antibody test proof? My wife and I were tested but not drawing blood unnecessarily form my 9 month year old…?
Hi dan i have a question for u. We plan on going back to Israel next week. We have our permits. United is already flying so we booked with them. We found delta tickets that’s are substantial cheaper however they anticipate to fly by then. Do you think we should book and delta and hope they fly out? Or just be safe and go with United because they have already been flying! Thanks for all ur work.
What if I never had corona so was never tested for it? Presumably the antibodies would be negative too if I never had corona. Wouldn’t the covid test in Israel being negative, be sufficient (after I get the result 3 days later) to avoid the 14 day quarantine? Otherwise they’re excluding all people who never had corona from avoiding the 14 day quarantine. It doesn’t make sense.
Yes it does – because although it is not 100% but the assumption is that if you had it once you will not get it again in the short term.
Makes perfect sense. The people who never had it are the ones most likely to have caught it on the plane. They won’t show up as contagious immediately upon arrival- hence the quarantine.
Dan, not sure where you find he must had a ‘positive’ antibody test.
People are saying Type O+ don’t have antibodies is that true? I tested negative when my husband tested positive in March My husband took the antibody and Covid 2 weeks ago and was negative with positive antibodies. I took it last week and was negative negative. He’s Type A+
Not true.
Many spouses are finding that one one had COVID-19. I wrote my theory why here:
https://www.dansdeals.com/more/dans-commentary/news-roundup/covid-19-news-roundup-5-25-20-super-spreaders-second-wave-immunity-passports-el-al-turkey-worldwide-restrictions-roundup-amare-stoudemire/
Honestly one thing about Covid that is everyone can agree on is that no one really knows anything! (Even my husbands Dr said call the CDC when he tested positive and the CDC said to call your Dr…)
Desperate to rescue their tourism industry which is a significant piece of the economy
…except that tourists are still banned – this exemption is for Israelis. So there goes that theory.
Believe it or not, Tourism only accounts for 6.4% of Israel’s GDP.
Turns out having had covid and being wise enough to get tested is the best thing for people because now they can enter.
Does anyone know where I can catch it now? Reminds me of how parents tried to intentionally infect their kids with chickenpox when I was young.
You realize that it won’t help you if you’re not a citizen or a visa holder, right? Tourists are still not allowed to enter Israel.
Hopefully you didn’t kill anyone while you had it. 90% of people knew that the likelihood of them being seriously adversely affected by SARS-CoV-2 was quite low, and there would be advantages to immunity, yet they were careful in order to try not to be a part of killing anyone else. That’s part of (or most of) what being a good person is about.
I’m currently working on this. I am in Israel under quarantine orders due to entering the country. I have all the necessary paperwork, have tested negative in Israel. I keep on calling Misrad Habriut everyone transfers to someone else, there is no one to talk to, even though I have officially qualify to be exempt from quarantine. If anyone knows who to contact please please let me know
Dan
What if you don’t have a positive test result (you never took one) but have a negative test now and have positive antibodies
As per my experience, you currently have to show a positive corona test. A positive antibody test is not enough.
Arrived in IL today. They told us that without the positive corona + twice negative corona, you have to quarantine 14 days.
I entered israel with proof of positive and negative covid-19 tests, and got a negative on the test i took in the airport, can i just walk out or i need proof?
does anyone know what the procedure is now for a family (residents w/ a student visa) returning from the US who recently had Corona and recovered? What do they have to do in order not to have to do bidud?