Latest Travel News: Changes to testing have had “little or no impact” on the spread of omicron

meIsrael has recorded the highest number of new Covid-19 infections caused by the omicron version, despite travel restrictions and required quarantines, the government reported on Wednesday.

A record 11,978 cases diagnosed on Tuesday are the most new infections reported in a single day since the pandemic began. The previous record was set on September 2 with 11,345 new infections recorded during the delta wave.

The rapid rise in the number of infections has pushed Israeli leaders away from the clear protocol of vaccination, testing, quarantine and contact tracking that characterized the government’s response in the early pandemic. Thanks to rapid vaccination, Israel became a world leader at an early age.

Now, Israel is said to be the first country to offer a fourth vaccination to people over the age of 60, as well as those with weakened immune systems.

Israel is rapidly changing rules and practices to adapt, including reducing quarantine to prevent a shutdown. More changes are expected. Demand for testing, for example, is likely to encourage the government to focus on testing on high-risk groups such as older people.