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Japan, Israel and Morocco Impose Bans on Foreign Travelers; Australia Delays Reopening

Didn't see this news posted yet, thought I would oblige:

Japan on Monday joined Israel and Morocco in barring all foreign travelers, and Australia delayed reopening its borders for two weeks, as more countries sealed themselves off in response to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Some countries proceeded with their plans to reopen on Monday, like Singapore and Malaysia, which opened their land border. South Korea, on the other hand, announced that it was delaying any loosening of social distancing restrictions.

Australia said on Monday that it would delay by two weeks its plan to reopen its borders to international students, skilled migrants and travelers from Japan and South Korea. The country said it would use the delay, to Dec. 15, to study whether the Omicron variant is more dangerous than the Delta variant.

In Israel, all foreign nationals will be banned from entering for at least 14 days, except for urgent humanitarian cases to be approved by a special exceptions committee. Returning vaccinated Israelis will be tested upon landing and must self-quarantine for three days, pending results of another P.C.R. test. Unvaccinated Israelis will have to self-quarantine for seven days.

Hours after Israel announced its blanket ban over the weekend, Morocco said on Sunday that it would deny entry to all travelers, even Moroccan citizens, for two weeks beginning Monday. The country is banning all incoming and outgoing flights over the two-week period.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/28/world/middleeast/israel-morocco-travel-bans-omicron.html

Posted by
8242 posts

We have a tour of Israel and Jordan booked for next March. Now Israel is closed for at least 14 days, perhaps more, not sure to give up and change tours to a country that we for sure can visit?

Posted by
1211 posts

change tours to a country that we for sure can visit?

If you know what countries will for sure be open in March, can you please also PM me the winning Powerball numbers for the next draw? :-)

Posted by
8242 posts

Eric.
good point, it is hard to predict the COVID future. However, some countries have been open consistently for months. Examples, Egypt, Ukraine, much of South America, and several countries in Eastern Europe.