TEL AVIV — The Israeli Health Ministry on Tuesday announced that it would require both vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans to quarantine for a week upon arrival to Israel, as it added the United States to a growing list of “red countries” to which Israeli residents were discouraged from traveling.

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       The regulations are slated to take effect Aug. 11.

       Israel issued travel warnings against 17 other countries, including France, Germany, Greece and many other top summer tourists destinations where a percentage of returning travelers have tested positive for the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

       The announcement comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised U.S. tourists against traveling to Israel in light of a surge of cases that has in the past weeks seen infections rise from single digits to over 3,000 on a daily basis.

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       On Sunday, Israel began administering third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to adults over age 60 who have been vaccinated. Israeli Health Ministry data shows that vaccine efficiency wanes after around six months, in higher percentages for the elderly and the immunocompromised.

       In an effort to stem the upward trend and pressure the some 1 million eligible Israeli residents who have not yet been vaccinated, the government has also reinstated the mask mandate for indoor spaces as well as the “green passport,” which grants the vaccinated and recovered adults access to public events with fewer than 100 attendees.

       Read more:

       Israeli Health Ministry approves covid booster shot for older population

       Germany, France and U.K. prepare for covid vaccine boosters starting in September

       Israel starts administering third dose of Pfizer vaccine to at-risk adults