The Health Ministry announced on Thursday that it would add Israelis who answer certain criteria to those designated as having recovered from COVID-19.
According to the ministry, starting November 8, healthcare providers will be able to process requests from people who recovered from the disease and were not thus far eligible for the recognition.
2 View gallery
Medical worker displays collected nose swab samples of a COVID-19 PCR test
(Photo: AP)
If their request is approved, they will become eligible to get the Green Pass — a document that grants access to public venues for those who have either been fully inoculated against COVID-19 or have recently recovered from it.
So far, only those who have tested positive for coronavirus using a PCR test have been recognized by the Health Ministry as having contracted it.
The new directive stipulates that an applicant would have to present a negative antigen test performed at a location supervised by the ministry, a PCR test that shows a "weak positive" diagnosis — meaning the patient carries genetic material from the virus that falls slightly below or above a certain threshold under which the virus may no longer be active — or a positive coronavirus antibody test
Alternatively, applicants can contact their attending physician with symptoms corresponding to that of COVID-19 up to 14 days from when the test presented was taken.
In addition, the ministry formed an expert panel that would advise healthcare providers and handle exceptions, as well as provide solutions for people who are not insured, including foreign exchange students, tourists, and others.