Israel and Greece signed a mutual agreement on Monday to recognize the Coronavirus vaccination “green passport” that signifies the bearer has completed the full series of vaccinations against COVID-19 in a deal to lift a limited number of travel restrictions.
The agreement, said Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will “allow us to open the economy, trade, cultural institutions and the rest of the education system – but carefully.”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on a visit to Israel, said he welcomed Israel’s vaccination campaign, which he said allows Greece to offer Israeli tourists the opportunity to spend their holiday in Greece “without any restrictions.
Use Israel’s ‘Green Passport’ Across EU
“I am in favor of a green passport across the European Union,” Mitsotakis said,” which is being promoted now in Israel which is making great progress in vaccinating most of their population.”
Under the agreement, those who hold a “green passport” documenting completion of the vaccination are exempt from going to isolation when traveling and will also not be subject to COVID-19 testing, Netanyahu said.
“Once we remove flight restrictions, we will be able to fly to Greece without any limitations,” he added.
Greece Hopes to Join Clinical Trial of EXO-CD24
In addition to the deal on tourism, the two Mediterranean leaders discussed an agreement that carried as much, if not even more weight – cooperation on a clinical trial to test an Israeli treatment for COVID-19.
“If you’re infected by corona and are seriously ill and have a lung problem,” said Netanyahu during the briefing with reporters, “take this, inhale it and you come out feeling good.”
The vial the prime minister held up contained what he called a “miracle drug” currently being tested by doctors at Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) in Tel Aviv, adding that he had met earlier in the day with Professor Nadir Arber, who had developed the new EXO-CD24 treatment.
The results of the Phase I clinical trial were indeed amazing, as reported this past week. Of the 30 patients who participated in the trial, 29 recovered in three to five days; the 30th patient also recovered but in a longer period of time. The treatment delivers the CD24 protein to the lungs, which quiets the immune system.
Mitsotakis asked whether Greece could also participate, “assuming we can overcome the regulatory hurdles. . . We would all be very relieved if we could find a drug that could cure the disease itself.”