Israel to open fast-track coronavirus testing labs at Ben-Gurion Airport
Airports Authority hoping to publish tender within three weeks to ensure system in place for when government opens skies
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMANEl Al Israel Airlines planes are seen on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel March 10, 2020.(photo credit: REUTERS/RONEN ZEVULUN)
Representatives of the Airports Authority, the National Security Council and the Health and Transportation ministries met on Thursday to begin the preliminary work on a tender to hire a private company to establish fast coronavirus testing labs on behalf of Ben-Gurion Airport.An initial notice about the meeting was published in a Beit Shemesh bulletin, which The Jerusalem Post independently confirmed with the Airports Authority.“The only way to open the skies for Israel is to establish coronavirus testing labs at the airport,” a spokesperson for the Airports Authority told the Post. Although the plan is not yet approved, he said that the authority is preparing the tender and plans to hire and build the needed infrastructure, so that when permission is granted the airport can be opened instantaneously.The Beit Shemesh bulletin cited the president of one of the companies interested in bidding to establish the labs, who explained the process for Israeli travelers: 72 hours before their flight, passengers will get screened for coronavirus at one of the drive-thru testing stations, and will receive the results on the mobile phone. If the travelers’ test results come back negative for the virus, the passengers will be able to go to the airport, where a second test will be performed. The results would be received by travelers upon arrival at their destination, so they can present two negative tests.For foreigners looking to enter Israel, the spokesperson told the Post that visitors would arrive at the airport and be immediately screened. They would then enter isolation for around 24 hours while awaiting their results. If the tests results are negative they will be able to continue on with their vacation. If the test is positive, the visitor would have to remain in quarantine.On Wednesday, the Health Ministry said that people who test positive for the virus must remain in isolation for between 10 and 14 days.Other countries that have managed to open their skies have established similar infrastructure and systems in their airports.The spokesperson said the goal is to publish the tender within the next one to three weeks. It will be a public tender open to any company that wants to apply.The final decision about opening Ben-Gurion will be made in collaboration with the Health Ministry, National Security Council and the Prime Minister’s Office.On Thursday, the Health Ministry reported that there were more than 2,000 new cases of coronavirus diagnosed in the last day.
