Orders for all visitors arriving in Israel to self-isolate for two weeks could be eased if the coronavirus outbreak begins to spread locally en masse, one of the country’s epidemic management team said on Tuesday, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.
They may need to be replaced by other measures such as changing practices at schools and workplaces, said Ran Balicer, chief innovation officer for Clalit Health Services, Israel’s biggest healthcare provider.
Israel has so far reported 50 cases of the virus after testing thousands of people. There have been no fatalities.
Full containment is not possible in the long term, Balicer told Reuters by phone. He himself has been in home isolation since returning from a trip to Germany.
“We know this is bound to eventually fail and we are only trying to delay as much as possible this kind of massive dissemination,” he said.
At some point the travel restrictions will not be necessary and the moderate social distancing currently in place will not suffice, he said. Authorities will instead use “more disruptive efforts such as interfering in school and work”.
Balicer noted that Israel’s conditions were unique, with only one major airport, Ben Gurion International near Tel Aviv, and relatively limited movement across borders.