EMEA
ISRAEL – Suspension of all international passengers flights affecting foreign and Israeli nationals as of midnight January 25, 2021
BELGIUM – Temporary ban on non-essential foreign travel to and from Belgium from Wednesday January 27, 2021 until March 1, 2021
EMEA
ISRAEL – Closes its skies until January 31, 2021 with a possibility of extension allowing only humanitarian flights by private planes.
The Israeli government has decided, that as of midnight on Monday, January 25, 2021, all passenger flights from and to Ben Gurion Airport will be suspended amidst fears over the growing number of coronavirus mutations.
The restrictions will apply at this stage until January 31, 2021, and maybe extended. The decision prohibits the entry and exit of both foreign and Israeli nationals.
Those wishing to enter or exit Israel will require special permission to be provided on a “humanitarian basis”.
BELGIUM – Temporary ban on non-essential foreign travel to and from Belgium from Wednesday January 27, 2021 until March 1, 2021.
A press release from The Consultative Committee confirms that a sworn statement will be required to travel to and from Belgium, and it defines essential travel:
I. Restriction of non-essential travel
Non-essential trips in and out of Belgium are prohibited from Wednesday 27 January to Monday 1 March 2021. The travel ban will be monitored for road, air, sea and rail traffic.
Anyone travelling to or from Belgium will be required to carry a sworn statement. A form will be made available by the Minister of the Interior. The sworn statement must be linked to the Passenger Locator Form and supported by the necessary documents.
Only essential travel is allowed during this period, i.e. travel for the following reasons:
- Family reunification.
- Humanitarian reasons such as:
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- Travel for medical reasons and continuation of medical treatment;
- Study purposes.
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- Journeys by pupils, students and trainees as part of a student exchange program;
- Residents of border areas
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- Journeys as part of everyday activities that are also allowed in Belgium
- Professional reasons when performing work-related activities.
II. Similar to other countries in Europe, effective Monday January 25, 2021 Belgium is requiring a 10 days quarantine for people travelling from the United Kingdom, South Africa and South America.
The Consultative Committee press release clarifies that all “people travelling to Belgium from the United Kingdom, South Africa or South America must quarantine for 10 days with a PCR test on day 1 and day 7”.
III. Test upon arrival for every non-resident travelling to Belgium in “addition to the mandatory negative test result prior to departure, the Consultative Committee would like every non-resident travelling to Belgium to be tested again upon arrival. This can be done with a PCR test or a rapid antigen test.”
IV. Isolation and quarantine
Isolation after a positive Covid-19 test will be required for 10 (instead of 7) days. Furthermore, it is confirmed that after “a high-risk contact or upon arrival in Belgium, the duration of quarantine remains ten days. This period may be reduced to a minimum of seven days on condition of a negative test result, where the test was taken, at the earliest, seven days after exposure.”
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