Israel confirmed on Sunday that it will require travelers from the United Kingdom to enter quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in Israel.

The regulation goes into effect at the end of the week, on Friday, October 23.

However, anyone who has already contracted the coronavirus may be able to receive an exemption from quarantine, as YWN reported on Sunday. Israel’s Health Ministry issued a new directive last week which will allow travelers arriving from red countries to receive an exemption from quarantine by presenting positive serological (antibody) tests.

The UK was previously on Israel’s list of “green countries,” from which travelers could arrive in Israel and not be required to quarantine. However, in recent weeks, Britain has been hit by Europe’s deadliest coronavirus outbreak, with 705,428 confirmed cases and 43,579 deaths.

Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a three-tier regional approach to combating the coronavirus pandemic, with each tier bringing in progressively tighter restrictions. The government is trying to slow rising infection rates and prevent the National Health Service from being swamped with COVID-19 cases this winter while seeking to avoid a national lockdown that would ravage the U.K.’s struggling economy.

The opposition Labour Party’s spokesman on health issues, Jonathan Ashworth, described the measures as inadequate to stem the exponential growth of the virus. He reiterated calls for the government to implement the recommendations of its scientific advisers and impose a two- to three-week national lockdown, or “circuit break,″ arguing it could save thousands of lives.

After Johnson on Wednesday refused to rule out such a move, Ashworth asked Thursday what the government’s criteria were for taking such action.

“How many more hospital admissions? How much non-COVID care delayed? Dare I say, how many more deaths?″ Ashworth said. “Action is needed now.″

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem & AP)