The coronavirus cabinet decided on Sunday to restrict non-Israelis flying in from the UK, Denmark and South Africa from entering the country after the novel coronavirus was found to have a new mutation. This led to multiple complaints from passengers who were on an incoming flight to Israel at the time of the decision being made.
“You can’t just make such a decision 45 minutes before the plane lands,” one passenger said. “I get that the situation is problematic, but when we checked online before boarding, things were different. Control was taken out of our hands, which is very frustrating.”
The Immigration Authority said that about 30 Israelis arriving from the UK refused to go to the corona hotels.One man complained, “I have no clothes or personal gear and don’t know what to do.”Israelis will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test and remain in quarantine in a coronavirus hotel.Those arriving from the UK on Sunday were placed in quarantine and taken to hotels. They will be able to exit the hotel in two weeks or, depending on two negative COVID-19 tests, 10 days.Hanna Grossman, who planned to return to Israel next week, told Maariv, sister publication of The Jerusalem Post, that she has an eight-month-old baby, and she couldn’t even “imagine to quarantine in a place that isn’t my familiar and safe home where I could properly care for my child.”
“To force citizens into a [COVID-19] hotel is a violation of the universal right to liberty,” she said. “People should be given the chance to get checked when they arrive. Decisions made in Israel make no sense; it’s all random and senseless.”
The coronavirus hotels were introduced after early reports suggested many Israelis don’t obey the home quarantine instructions.
Michal Simpson, waiting for her husband to return soon from the UK, said she is heartbroken that he will not be able to quarantine at home but, on the other hand, she’s relieved as “this is a dangerous mutation of the virus.”
She added she already booked a vaccination for him, after he will spend two weeks at a corona hotel.
“I have no cash or food, or even soap and toothpaste on me,” Eddy Webber told Maariv. “Nobody even asked us what we think. This is unbelievably bad.”