Continuing to be a forerunner in efficiently vaccinating its population, Israel on Sunday began offering the third booster shot to everyone above the age of 12.
To slow down the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus that is current;y causing a surge in infections across the nation, Israel expanded its booster dose drive to citizens as young as 12 years of age in just a month since the booster shots were first tested.
Source: Times of Israel (Photo by Flash90)
“The third dose brings us to the level of protection achieved by the second dose when it was fresh,” said Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public health at Israel’s Health Ministry. “That means, people are 10 times more protected after the third vaccine dose,” she told a news conference, where the expanded booster drive was announced.
So far two million people out of a population of 9.3 million have received three doses. In Israel, the booster shot is supposed to be taken anytime after 5-months of receiving the second dose of the vaccine (which is different from the US’ current mandate of 8-months).
Talking about the booster shot, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement, “There are already results: the increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow. But we have to complete third doses for all of our citizens. I call on those aged 12 and up to go out and immediately take the third shot.”
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