Coronavirus: vaccinated non-residents will obtain certificate in 10 days

Individuals vaccinated in Israel, but who are not members of one of the country’s health providers, will be able to download their vaccination certificate within 10 days, said a representative of the Ministry of Health The Jerusalem Post.

In its extensive vaccination campaign, Israel allowed people without health care rights to be vaccinated against the virus, including those who have Israeli citizenship but are not residents.

“I made aliyah in 1997, but I continued to travel between Israel and the United States for work reasons,” a 63-year-old man who found it difficult to access the certificate told the Post. “For many years I was a member of the Maccabi Health Fund, and I had no problem until 2015, I was warned that, being more than 185 days abroad, I was no longer considered a resident.”

“Until the pandemic arrived, it was not a problem,” he said. “My American insurance would cover me in the USA and provide me with emergency coverage here. After Israel started vaccinating, I tried to make an appointment and they did not leave me, despite being a citizen and four of my children waged wars in this country ”.

Although he finally managed to get vaccinated – “I am very grateful for that,” he said -, he soon started another saga to gain access to the certificate.

From Sunday and for at least two weeks, the vaccination certificate allows people to have access to the same facilities reserved for holders of the “green passport”, including hotels, gyms and cultural and sporting events.