Indian covid variant scare in Israel as more restrictions lifted

Five children from different schools tested positive for the Indian variant of coronavirus, the Health Ministry reported on Thursday. Altogether, 41 cases of this variant have been discovered, 25 among arrivals from overseas and 17 among Indian expats. Only four were vaccinated. Because the Indian variant shows signs of spreading and the level of vaccine protection to this strain has not been established, the health and transport ministries are considering halting incoming flights from India. Until the government approves this, they recommend the transfer of non-citizens arriving from highly infected countries including India to government quarantine centers.

The mass Lag B’Omer pilgrimage to Mount Meron in the Galilee Thursday night is causing special concern. Unless closely restricted, this event could trigger a fresh surge of coronavirus, now that Israel has driven new covid cases down to less than 100 a day and restrictions on gatherings and masks were this week substantially scaled down