JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel’s airport will reopen at a limited capacity on Saturday after Israeli leaders approved to allow in 2,000 travelers a day.
Those entering the country will likely be required to isolate in government-run quarantine hotels if they have not recovered from COVID-19 or been vaccinated.
Ben Gurion International Airport has been shuttered since Jan 25. to all commercial air traffic, only allowing the arrival of specially approved flights. Government leaders closed the airport to prevent the coronavirus mutations from spreading throughout the country.
Israel is slowly emerging from its third nationwide lockdown as the infection rate continues to drop.
Street shops and places of worship could open to all Israelis as early as next week, while only vaccinated Israelis may be allowed to enter gyms, hotels, malls, pools and other venues. Grades 5-6 and 11-12 could also reopen in low infection areas, Israel’s Channel 12 News reported.
The government is working to increase vaccinations by offering incentives for those who get vaccinated, or by making the vaccine mandatory for certain professions like teachers and medical staff.
Leaders are considering a proposal to allow the government to share information about non-vaccinated Israelis with local authorities, The Times of Israel reports. Other measures include providing financial rewards for doctors who secure vaccinations of people over 50, and financial incentives for local authorities based on their vaccination rate. These measures could face legal challenges.
According to Israel’s Health Ministry, 90% of Israelis over 60 have been vaccinated. Meanwhile, 73% of people between 40 to 60 have been vaccinated, and half of Israelis between 16 and 40 have already received the vaccine.
Last month, Israel reported that the Pfizer vaccine has proven itself to be 92% effective in preventing the coronavirus. The report marked the world’s first controlled study on how the vaccine works outside of clinical trials.
Another study by Israel’s largest health provider revealed that the Pfizer vaccine is highly effective in preventing symptomatic infections and serious symptoms in those who do contract the virus.
Currently, there are 54,800 active coronavirus cases in Israel and 5,403 deaths.
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