How does the 72 hour rule work for PCR testing?
 

I understand if I am out of the country for less than 72 hours, I don't need a PCR test to return. How is it measured? Is it from border crossing to border crossing in Israel? Or flight arrival at destination to flight boarding at destination?

• If you stay out of Israel for more than 72 hours, you must take a PCR test no more than 72 hours before the planned crossing time

Entry to Israel - Corona Traffic Light Model (Ramzor) Website (health.gov.il)

I understand this as boarder crossing, it is not very clear.

Yeah I'm just not sure...I will be out of Israel for slightly more than 72 hours but actually on the dirt in a foreign country for far less. Guess I'll just have to have yet another thing shoved up my nose.

It seems contradictory:

• Negative test results to a PCR test taken in the 72 hours before travel or sail to Israel
• if you stay out of Israel for more than 72 hours, you must take a PCR test no more than 72 hours before the planned crossing time

When I intend to get my PCR before (hopefully) travelling on 02/11 I have the added complication of the clocks moving back an hour after my intended test, bound to cause confusion I am sure!

I don't want to take chances, so I guess I'll do it. I suspect I'm at the mercy of whoever is checking me in at the destination so better not mess with it.

Anyone know whether Israel is sticking to the exact 72 hour prior to departing flight or are accepting negative pcr test results where samples were collected within 3 days or departing flight (as at least the US seems to treat its '72 hour rule')? First-hand experience most valuable of course.

I don't understand the question. Those seem to be the exact same thing...

The question asked is when does the clock stop ticking in order to back calculate the time the test needs to be conducted? Do you calculate from the scheduled arrival time in Israel or scheduled departure time from country of origin to Israel. You will see that the two statements of requirement I posted ante raise the trigger of both these instances ( I am not even going to get into calculating the trigger point if one were to sail to Israel)."travel to" and "crossing"are two different concepts.

​​​​Take for example the US. If you have a 17:00 departure on the 11th on departure ticket that ends in the US (no more than 24 hr layover), every check in desk agent I've encountered so far has said the US will accept a negative pcr or antigen test (with QR code) where the sample was collected anytime on the 8th onwards. So, you could have a sample for antigen test collected up to 89 hrs prior to departure totthr US in that example here. So, again, how does Israel regard its '72 hour rule' atm?

Like I said above, it really comes down to the agent checking you in. Best to not take chances if at all possible. There's really no clear information anywhere.