As Israel Leads In COVID-19 Vaccines Per Capita, Palestinians Still Await Shots
at 2:15 pm NPR
Israel has vaccinated a larger share of its population against COVID-19 than any other country, and is aiming to achieve herd immunity from the virus by the end of spring or midsummer, the Israeli Health Ministry told NPR.
More than 800,000 of Israel s population of about 9 million have received COVID-19 vaccination shots. The country aims to vaccinate 25% of Israelis by the end of January.
The vaccination drive began Dec. 19 with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receiving the first shot on live TV. Israel so far is using the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech and is awaiting a shipment of Moderna s vaccine.
Edna Halup, a staff member at a private nursing home, receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, in Ganei Tikva, Israel, on Dec. 22.
Israel has vaccinated a larger share of its population against COVID-19 than any other country, and is aiming to achieve herd immunity from the virus by the end of spring or midsummer, the Israeli Health Ministry told NPR.
More than 800,000 of Israel s population of about 9 million have received COVID-19 vaccination shots. The country aims to vaccinate 25% of Israelis by the end of January.
The vaccination drive began Dec. 19 with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receiving the first shot on live TV. Israel so far is using the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech and is awaiting a shipment of Moderna s vaccine.
CoronavirusIsrael
By Aryeh Stern
YERUSHALAYIM -
Friday, December 11, 2020 at 3:03 am | כ ה כסלו תשפ א
Health-care workers take test samples of Israelis at a drive-through site to collect samples for coronavirus testing in Lod. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
There were 1,865 new coronavirus cases in Israel on Thursday the Health Ministry announced Friday morning.
The Health Ministry also announced that they conducted 70,960 tests, with around 2.7% of tests returning a positive result. Some 320 of current patients are in serious condition, with 108 intubated. The country’s death toll stands at 2,962.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry revealed on Thursday the list of people who will be prioritized to receive the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
Israeli Health Ministry sets vaccination priorities
The first people to receive Covid-19 vaccines in Israel will be health system workers, followed by old people in institutions and their carers.
With the first consignments of Pfizer vaccines against Covid-19 arriving in Israel,. Ministry of Health director general Hezi Levi and the ministry s ombudsman for the medical professions Dr. Boaz Lev held a press conference today. The ministry has concluded work on establishing the order of priorities for vaccinating Israelis.
The first people to be vaccinated will be workers in the health system, amounting to some 250,000 people. After them will come old people in institutions and their carers, amounting to another 350,000 people. Then will come old people according to age criteria to be set in accordance with the availability of vaccines. After them, people with background medical conditions will be vaccinated, especially those with obesity, diabetes, and transplanted organs, followed