Israel has launched antibody testing for children aged as young as three, seeking information on the number of unvaccinated youths who have developed protection against the coronavirus ahead of the new school year, AFP reports.

The national serological survey is focused on pupils between the ages of three and 12 who are not yet eligible for the jab, nearly 1.5 million children.

It is aimed at discovering how many children developed strong antibody protection against the coronavirus after having an unrecorded or latent case, according to the education ministry.

Those children with sufficient antibodies will not be forced to quarantine when exposed to a Covid patient, a move aimed at limiting school-year disruptions.