Israel goes back into full lockdown tonight for 2 weeks as COVID cases skyrocket and threaten to set new daily records there. The lockdown will shut down some schools that haven’t been closed since the original March lockdown. I’ve lost track of the count of Israeli lockdowns, but I guess this is 4? Or is it 3b?
The country is leading the world in vaccination rates by a long shot with some 17% of the population inoculated, but it takes several weeks for the antibodies to take effect and there’s still a long way to go until herd immunity is reached. The good news is that both Pfizer and Moderna are expediting more vaccine supply to Israel as the country hopes to be the first in the world to reach herd immunity with their best in class vaccination process.
Israelis wanting to fly abroad only have until 11:59pm local time tonight to buy a flight. Chaim V’Chessed reports that after that point, they won’t be allowed to enter the airport with newly purchased tickets unless they are traveling for a qualified reason such as:
- “A funeral, wedding, Bar Mitzva, or bris of a first degree relative
- Medical treatment or to obtain medicine/medical supplies
- Providing assistance to someone in distress or crisis
- Moving to a new home
- Returning to your country of origin
- Returning to a permitted place of work”
Foreigners can still purchase tickets to return home.
Israel is also freezing the issuance of entry permission for single students returning to school until at least January 21st. The country had just lifted restrictions on single students, but it is reinstating them for the full lockdown. If you already received entry permission then it will be honored.
Have you received a vaccine in Israel? Will you buy tickets to travel abroad before midnight?
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24 Comments On "Israel’s Latest Lockdown Rules Prohibit Ticket Purchases After Tonight, Freezes Entry Permits For Single Students"
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I already have tickets to fly to Israel non January 20th but was notified that my return flight is canceled.
Israel will only start giving the 2nd dose on Sunday. So no one in Israel has received it yet.
But you can buy a ticket today, get your 2nd dose next week and then fly abroad without the need to quarantine on the way back
No ‘green passport’ until at least two weeks after second injection. It’s not yet clear that the ‘green passport’ will allow us to return to Israel from anywhere without quarantine. I know–they said–wait until you actually see it in place.
No Israelis can depart on tickets purchased after 23:59 Thurs night while lockdown is in effect. Special exceptions for reasons already stated. That means two weeks, but will probably be extended.
In short–for now, at least–leave your money in your pocket.
That’s exactly what DW said when I was about to book tickets for the Seychelles for early February 🙂
I recieved my First dose here in israel- one week ago.
I am 25. No health conditions BH.
They just gave me an appointment- no questions asked.
Amazing!
Got my shot earlier this week.
Seems hit and miss for people under 60
If you call to make an appointment they generally tell you you are not yet eligible, but I just went to the Meuhedet clinic and they seemed to be giving anyone that wanted,
Received mine on Jan 1st, BH
It all depends on where you live, what kupa you belong to and if they have shots laying around. There are plenty of people who are looking to get vaccinated (above 50 and with underlying conditions) and have yet to be able to get a shot. Hopefully the new shipments will allow everyone to get vaccinated.
In some cases they officially give at end of the day even for people that or not yet eligible to get one, they say once its taken out of the freezer they can’t put it back so once its out and they are about to finish the day they’ll give anyone
Are they still honoring the quarantine exemptions for people that already recovered?
Fears of the new British and South African strains may mean ‘no’–because nobody knows enough about them yet. I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t count on it.
I’m not terribly optimistic about my late May visit to Israel. I figure I can get vaccinated in the USA by then, that Israel will have its population vaccinated and that seasonality will reduce virus spread by then anyway. But, realistically, what are my odds? Probably less than 50% given what we’ve seen in the world the past year.
Everyone I know that wanted the vaccine in Israel, got 1 already. You can make an appointment online at meuhedet’s website, or show up when the clinic isnt busy, or come at the end of the day when they give out everything that was defrosted and cant be saved for tomorrow.
Some 1.5 million of our approx 9 million Israelis have had their first dose. Recovereds and under-16s–are not currently slated for vaccination. Priority is still to over-60s, though others have been vaccinated for a variety of reasons. We’re still quite shy of ‘everyone’ being vaccinated. Last night, it was announced that ALL residents and staff of ALL nursing homes have received first dose!! It was further announced that large shipments are en-route from both Pfizer and Moderna–which should enable ‘full’ vaccination by end of March.
Just by getting the vaccine series, we still don’t know if you cannot transmit the virus further. Just stay home
This is a good piece on masks
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/do-face-masks-decrease-the-risk-of-covid-19-transmission/
Stay home till when exactly? If you don’t rely on the vaccine then what will get you to take part in society?
Well….if you are alive, you’ll have a much better chance to take part in society than if you are sick or dead. At the moment, this isn’t about getting to go eat out for dinner. The vaccines are life saving…..When you get your vaccine, be grateful. Those waiting and waiting would happily take your place in line.
Oh so you do believe in vaccines? If you do then obviously you can’t transmit a disease that you don’t have
Chinese Communist Party’s dream
The whole world somehow in lockdown and chaos and they are wide open and booming.
Oh, did I happen to hear, this virus was ‘accidentally’ released from a Wuhan lab?
Seems to have paid off for them.
Let’s leave conspiracy theories out please
I’d say it’s lockdown #3+.
Still lockdown 2? The police are not enforcing any rules (no ticketing or roadblocks) and Egged is running busses at full schedule.
I bought a ticket before the deadline. Hope it flies 🙂