“Because of the current situation in Israel, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(JNS) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised its COVID-19 travel alert for Israel to its highest level.

“Avoid travel to Israel, West Bank and Gaza. If you must travel [there], make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel,” the CDC said on its website. “Because of the current situation in Israel, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.”

Due to the uptick in Delta-variant infection rates, Israel on Sunday reinstated a set of renewed coronavirus restrictions, including a return to the full “green pass” requirement for entry into various venues.

Israel is the first country to have begun administering a vaccine booster to its 60-and-over population after most second shots were administered more than six months ago.