Israel to allow entry for tourists not inoculated with COVID booster shot from Tuesday

A week after opening its borders to tourists who have been vaccinated against or recovered from COVID-19, Israel's health and tourism ministries announced on Monday, November 8, that members of tour groups, rather than individuals, will be allowed to enter the country with only two COVID vaccine doses. Foreign tourists will be able to enter Israel as part of organised groups without requiring a booster shot against COVID-19. They will be allowed to enter Israel if it has been more than six months since they have been administered with the second shot, according to a joint statement from the health and tourism ministries, subject to a number of conditions.

The group, in particular, must be granted permission to enter the country by the tourism ministry, and its members – 5 to 40 people – must be from countries with a favourable epidemiological situation and have been vaccinated with World Health Organization-recognized vaccines. The requirements will go into effect on Tuesday, November 9. Until last week, the vast majority of noncitizens had been effectively barred from entering Israel since the coronavirus pandemic began. On November 1, rules were changed to allow noncitizens who had been vaccinated within the previous 180 days to board a plane to Israel. Between the traveller's second or third shot and entry into Israel, 14 days must elapse (for Johnson & Johnson, one dose is required).

Reopening of the borders: a critical step toward reviving the tourism industry

The reopening of the borders was seen as a critical step toward reviving Israel's tourism industry, which had been devastated by the pandemic and its accompanying restrictions. Beginning from the middle of November, Israel will allow visitors immunised with Russia's Sputnik V COVID vaccine, in a policy shift for the country, which has previously only recognised immunizations approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. They must undergo a serology test to detect antibodies.

Israel appears to be nearing the end of its fourth coronavirus wave, as new infections and serious cases have declined in recent weeks. There were 164 serious COVID-19 cases in Israel as of Monday, down from nearly 750 a month ago. On Sunday, only 0.63% of those tested were positive, one of the lowest rates since the beginning of July. On Sunday, there were 498 new coronavirus diagnoses, bringing the total caseload since the pandemic's start to 1,334,342. One new death was reported, bringing the total to 8,123.

(With inputs from agencies)

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