Israel cancels mandatory PCR test at airport  

Israel will cancel the mandatory PCR test at the airport upon the arrival staring on May 20, 2022.

Moreover, foreigners will be allowed to take an antigen test instead of PCR before departure from May 10, 2022, RIA Novosti reports, citing the message of the Israeli Healthcare Ministry.

“Passengers arriving at Israeli Ben Gurion Airport will not undergo a PCR test from May 20, 2022,” the ministry said.

The decision was made in connection with a decrease in the COVID-19 cases in Israel and the assessment of results with the participation of specialists from the ministry, and employees of the Israel Airports Authority.

In addition, foreigners travelling to Israel will also be allowed to show a negative antigen test result before boarding the plane from May 10, 2022, instead of the previously required PCR test.

The ministry said that the tourists opting for an antigen test should take it in a laboratory a day before departure to Israel.

The PCR test, also called a molecular test, detects the virus’s genetic material using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It takes a fluid sample by inserting a nasal swab into the nostril or the back of the throat. The fluid is then analyzed in laboratories for identifying the real-time incursion of the virus’s cell into the body.