COVID Travel Experience to Israel February 2022

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Just wanted to share our experience getting from the US to Israel this past week. We're on an organized tour of 22 people. Israel has been one of the most locked down, vaccine intensive countries the past 2 years.

My reason for sharing is to encourage anyone on the fence about traveling internationally to get off your butt and do it. There may be a few hassles, but as I state below those tradeoffs are worth it.

Vaccinations:
  • We were required to have at least 2 vaccines, if the second was more than 6 months prior to date of travel, then you needed the booster.
  • Images of vaccine cards were required to be uploaded within 48 hours of international departure (not any domestic flight times)
Testing:
  • PCR test within 72 hours of international departure or Antigen test within 24 hours of international departure: Must be negative
  • Must attest to having tested negative on entrance form
  • Upon arrival in Tel Aviv required to do PCR test (which you pay for) and then self quarantine for 24 hours until receipt of results. If negative continue with tour. If positive, 5 day quarantine at which point if no symptoms, do Antigen test daily until negative
We had to complete an Israel Entry Form which had basics: passport, covid questions, covid image of vaccine card and attestation to having been tested. You are then given a green pass to enter the country for 24 hours which becomes 30 days once they test you and you are negative.

We had to wear masks from the time we entered Orlando Airport, our domestic flight to Newark, Newark to Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport, Bus and to the hotel. We have had to continue to wear masks inside but see quite a number of locals not wearing them. All workers are wearing masks. I thought the mask wearing would bother me as I've hardly worn a mask the last 2 years living in Florida. It has become seamless for me and comfortable.

All of this may seem like a hassle. However the benefit to us in being one of the first tour groups to arrive in Israel is that the sites we are visiting are empty. Parking lots that hold 20-30 tour buses only have 3-4. Sometimes, we're the only tour bus! We have more time at sites or time to visit more sites because we're not sitting in line waiting for our driver to park the bus or in line to get into a site or to shuffle our feet as we go through the site behind 100's of other tourists. Also, the people are so excited to have tourists arriving. Many haven't had work the past 2 years and living off of savings. We are being welcomed with open arms.

If you are on the fence about traveling right now or the near future, get off of the fence and go wherever your destination!
 
Looks like you had a better experience than we had on our tour to Alaska.
 
Just wanted to share our experience getting from the US to Israel this past week. We're on an organized tour of 22 people. Israel has been one of the most locked down, vaccine intensive countries the past 2 years.

My reason for sharing is to encourage anyone on the fence about traveling internationally to get off your butt and do it. There may be a few hassles, but as I state below those tradeoffs are worth it.

Vaccinations:
  • We were required to have at least 2 vaccines, if the second was more than 6 months prior to date of travel, then you needed the booster.
  • Images of vaccine cards were required to be uploaded within 48 hours of international departure (not any domestic flight times)
Testing:
  • PCR test within 72 hours of international departure or Antigen test within 24 hours of international departure: Must be negative
  • Must attest to having tested negative on entrance form
  • Upon arrival in Tel Aviv required to do PCR test (which you pay for) and then self quarantine for 24 hours until receipt of results. If negative continue with tour. If positive, 5 day quarantine at which point if no symptoms, do Antigen test daily until negative
We had to complete an Israel Entry Form which had basics: passport, covid questions, covid image of vaccine card and attestation to having been tested. You are then given a green pass to enter the country for 24 hours which becomes 30 days once they test you and you are negative.

We had to wear masks from the time we entered Orlando Airport, our domestic flight to Newark, Newark to Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport, Bus and to the hotel. We have had to continue to wear masks inside but see quite a number of locals not wearing them. All workers are wearing masks. I thought the mask wearing would bother me as I've hardly worn a mask the last 2 years living in Florida. It has become seamless for me and comfortable.

All of this may seem like a hassle. However the benefit to us in being one of the first tour groups to arrive in Israel is that the sites we are visiting are empty. Parking lots that hold 20-30 tour buses only have 3-4. Sometimes, we're the only tour bus! We have more time at sites or time to visit more sites because we're not sitting in line waiting for our driver to park the bus or in line to get into a site or to shuffle our feet as we go through the site behind 100's of other tourists. Also, the people are so excited to have tourists arriving. Many haven't had work the past 2 years and living off of savings. We are being welcomed with open arms.

If you are on the fence about traveling right now or the near future, get off of the fence and go wherever your destination!
Good to hear you had a great holiday . But just one positive test would have changed it considerably.
 
Good to hear you had a great holiday . But just one positive test would have changed it considerably.
Me and my wife both got covid on our tour. Luckily mild cases
 
Me and my wife both got covid on our tour. Luckily mild cases
glad to hear you both only had mild cases.

My concern is not catching covid. But testing positive to covid.....which for much international travel will mean quarantine or isolation.

Wife and I are suppose to be travelling to Canada. Trouble is that all non-Canadian and US citizens may be subject to a covid test upon arrival ( according to the Canadian Govt web site....this random testing will be increasing to almost total testing of all arriving non Canadian and US citizens)

So...if either the missus or I test positive. It means isolation/quarantine for 2 weeks. Which is turn will throw a spanner in the works for all other booking that we have...cruise, train trips, moose HUNT, etc. And of course nothing covered by insurance.

I definitely don't want to take a gamble with $50K of holidays because I test positive. Why the hell the Canadian Government wants to treat a vaxxed (by choice) Australian any differently to a citizen of the USA has me stumped.

We really need to get back to normal.

whinge complete
 
I hear you both. We were all concerned with a positive test upon arrival. Interestingly, more and more people in Israel are going without masks inside. We are in Jerusalem for 4 days now, then on to Egypt. The test leaving Egypt will be the next hurdle.

One surprise. Upon landing at Ben Gurion airport, the testing technicians did a very light swab. Right inside of mouth, then just inside the end of the nose - not all the way up like they're drilling for something like in the states. Then a second swab on the other side of the mouth and nose.

Just saw the CDC reduce mask recommendations for a bunch areas around the US. My personal opinion is that it it endemic at this point.
 
Glad you were able to make it over!
 

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