Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Authorities to ease COVID-19 measures from November 1 /update 66

Event

Israeli authorities have announced that certain coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions are to be eased from Sunday, November 1, following a decrease in new cases. Synagogues will be permitted to reopen from Sunday, with up to ten worshippers permitted indoors and 20 outdoors. Additionally, one-to-one services, such as driving lessons and personal training sessions, will be permitted to resume. Most businesses are to remain closed, with their reopening scheduled for November 8 if nationwide infection rates drop below 500 per day. Should that not be the case, they are expected to reopen on November 15. Certain areas seeing high infection rates may be required to remain under lockdown, with the Arab-majority towns of Taybeh, Kafr Kanna, Deir al-Asad, Kafr Kassem, Kafr Qara, and I'billin, particularly at risk.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have announced that arrivals from Italy, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and Serbia are to be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival effective from November 8. Vietnam was added to the list of "green" countries, from which arrivals do not need to quarantine, with the change effective from Sunday, November 1. Further information regarding entry requirements can be found here. The move also affects entry into the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), with the OPT's and Israel's borders with Egypt and Jordan currently closed.

As of Friday, October 30, there have been 313,701 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Israel with 2514 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the virus.