Israel will require all citizens who return from abroad to self-quarantine for 14 days as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, a measure aides said would go into force immediately, APA reports quoting Reuters.
“Anyone who arrives in Israel from abroad will enter a 14-day isolation,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding that the measure would be in effect for two weeks, initially.
“This is a difficult decision. But it is essential for safeguarding public health, and public health comes first.”
Israel had already taken some of the most extreme precautions to prevent a local coronavirus outbreak, forcing visitors from many countries in Asia and Europe into home isolation. This had made travel and trade difficult, with tourism expected to suffer.