Israel Ends Quarantine for Schoolchildren

The Israeli government has ended the quarantine for schoolchildren who come into contact with confirmed coronavirus patients.

The decision on Wednesday evening came amid reports that health officials had urged an extension of the existing mandatory self-isolation pending further data on the impact of omicron on patients with pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS). They argued for a week more to consider, but Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz announced they will go ahead with the decision to lift the quarantine protocol, starting Thursday.

All students — both vaccinated and unvaccinated — will need to take two antigen tests a week, on Sundays and Wednesdays, and present negative results in order to enter educational institutions. Children who test positive for COVID-19 will need to isolate until they test negative.

Earlier on Wednesday, the head of the Pediatricians Association warned that such a move was dangerous.

“Within four days, we will see the number of children in serious condition doubling. We are very apprehensive about the [quarantine] plan. It’s not too late to change it,” Dr. Zachi Grossman, told the Kan public broadcaster. “We in the association are raising a red flag now and recommend not to cancel quarantine for children [starting] tomorrow.”

Channel 12 quoted health officials saying that if there would be a significant enough rise in PIMS, the quarantine could be reinstated.

The Teachers Union, one of Israel’s two teacher associations, opposed the new rule, and told elementary and preschool teachers not to come to work Thursday. According to Channel 12, the Education Ministry plans to seek an injunction against the union.

In Yerushalayim it will have no effect, anyway, since the municipality announced that schools will be closed due to a snowstorm.