Yinon Azoulay
Yinon AzoulayHezki Baruch

MK Yinon Azoulay (Shas) on Monday morning participated in a meeting of the Knesset's Finance Committee, protesting the high price of antigen tests.

"The public is paying a different tax every time, from money it doesn't have," he said. "And now there is a new decree levied on it: a payment for antigen tests. Every test costs a few dozen shekels, and there are families for whom it reaches even hundreds of shekels."

"We will reach a situation in which someone with a family will need to choose whether to buy bread or antigen tests."

Last week, the coronavirus testing rules were changed to reserve PCR tests for those who are symptomatic, for those who are over 60, and for at-risk populations who came in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 carrier.

Under the new plan, those who are not at-risk and who have been vaccinated or who have recovered will undergo a home or supervised antigen test and if the test is positive, they will remain in isolation for ten days. Those who are unvaccinated will undergo a supervised antigen test - if the test comes positive, they will stay in isolation for 10 days, and if the test comes back negative, they will be in isolation for seven days, subject to a negative test.