Coronavirus: We are not considering closing the airport – health minister

The Israeli authorities are not thinking of closing the airport, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz told the Knesset plenum on Monday.

“We are not closing the airport and we are not considering closing the airport,” he said.

On Sunday, Israeli media suggested that health officials were discussing whether to recommend the move to the cabinet, together with other possible measures to limit traveling, as tens of thousands of Israelis are flying abroad despite the spike in cases due to the Delta variant in several parts of the world.

Horowitz said that lately, about 100 new cases enter the country every day through Ben-Gurion Airport, despite the fact that all passengers are required to present a negative PCR test before they board the plane.

He stressed that the government is focusing on tests and enforcement of isolation in order to avoid the virus and potentially new variants from spreading in Israel through returnees from abroad, noting that keeping the airport open is part of “living under the coronavirus routine. Maximum protection through vaccination, masks and all the tools that we have [at our disposal] but with minimum harm.”

Speaking to a press briefing, Health Ministry Director-General Prof. Nachman Ash also confirmed that, at the moment, closing the airport is currently not an option under consideration, although it might be in the future.

However, he emphasized again that Israelis should refrain from unessential travel, warning that the list of countries under travel ban or severe travel warning might be further expanded. In both cases all returnees have to quarantine; Israelis are prohibited from visiting banned countries unless they obtain permission from the devoted special governmental committee. Those lists include some popular destinations, such as Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Cyprus.

EARLIER IN the day, Horowitz met with Economy Minister Orna Barbivay and Culture and Sport Minister Chili Tropper, and announced that he and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are going to ask the coronavirus cabinet to approve bringing back the green pass system for all gatherings with over 100 participants.

Until the end of May, a green pass was granted to all individuals who were fully vaccinated, recovered or holders of a negative coronavirus test performed in the previous 72 hours. Access to several venues and activities – including indoor restaurants, gyms and performances – was limited to green pass holders.

The Health Ministry had already recommended re-adopting the system for large gatherings last week, but the cabinet did not approve it. Starting from Wednesday, a new “Happy Badge” system will come into effect for indoor weddings and similar events, requiring a vaccination/recovery certificate or a negative test in order to attend them. However, in light of the spike in cases, Bennett and Horowitz agree with the assessment by health experts that this move is not going to be enough.

Horowitz stressed that, at the moment, there is no intention of capping the number of people who can attend an event. In the upcoming days, the relevant ministers will meet with representatives of the industries to which the green pass is expected to apply.

At the beginning of the government’s meeting on Monday, Bennett spoke about the COVID outbreak.

“I want to say it here clearly: the government decisions are not recommendations, they are binding: Whoever breaks them will pay,” he said, reminding the public that wearing a mask indoors, observing quarantine rules and respecting Happy Badge regulations is compulsory.

Bennett vowed that the government is working on a plan to lead Israel through the crisis in the upcoming weeks up until the beginning of the school year, and that there will not be decisions made and implemented at the last minute.

Horowitz said that the government planned to open the school year according to routine.

“Last year, Israel’s children were home more than in any other Western country,” the minister stressed. “We do not want this to happen again.”

But he said any plan would be based on regular testing, including rapid testing.

Some 829 new cases were registered on Sunday, with about 50,000 tests processed. On Friday over 1,100 new virus carriers were identified, but with a much higher number of tests – some 75,000.

Meanwhile, serious morbidity is also increasing, but in a limited way. As of Monday morning, there were 66 patients in serious conditions, three more than 24 hours earlier.

According to Ash, within two weeks Israel could see as many as 2,000 new daily cases, as well as 30 new serious patients a day shortly after.