On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced the newly approved plan to innoculate Israeli citizens above 60, and medical workers with the 4th COVID shot.
Applicable for those who have received the first booster dose atleast 4 months ago, Bennett announced the declaration during a primetime press conference, amid growing concern over the government’s handling of the ongoing Omicron wave, which has seen extremely long lines at testing centers across the country.
Source: The New York Times (Courtesy)
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced Sunday that the Health Ministry has approved the distribution of a fourth coronavirus vaccine dose to Israelis over the age of 60, and to medical workers, who have gone at least four months since receiving their booster shot.
The premier made the declaration during a primetime press conference, amid growing concern over the government’s handling of the ongoing Omicron wave, which has seen extremely long lines at testing centers across the country.
While making the announcement, he said, “We’ve been first in the world [with the] booster shots and that policy has protected Israel’s citizens well,” adding that Israel’s death rate of late has been among the lowest in the world — 50 times lower than the UK’s, 100 times lower than Germany’s and 130 times lower than that of the United States.
Israel is currently seeing over 5,000 new cases a day, will likely reach 20,000 new daily cases by the end of the week, and could hit 50,000 daily cases at the height of the wave, Bennett warned, adding that the only effective antidote to the spike was the vaccine. “Here’s what we need you to do: Get vaccinated; get boosted; get the children vaccinated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bennett also encouraged citizens to wear masks in crowded spaces, particularly indoors, and for elderly populations to avoid crowds entirely.
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