Palestinians cancel deal for Israel to supply 1 million COVID vaccines timesofisrael.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from timesofisrael.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tuesday marks end of Green Pass and Purple Badge requirements, meaning all venues can open to all people, with no limit on crowds, as nation looks to put pandemic in rear-view
Travelers walk to a coronavirus testing area after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport on March 8, 2021. (Flash90)
Two days ahead of Israel’s scheduled lifting of the vast majority of coronavirus restrictions, Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy said Sunday that there were no plans to end quarantine requirements for travelers.
“We are not thinking about an easing [of restrictions] at Ben Gurion Airport. We will continue to test those returning to Israel and isolate them,” Levy told Army Radio. “This is the place where quarantine is important as undetected sickness can bring the infection back to Israel.”
The comments meant that families with young children could find it difficult to travel this summer, with unvaccinated returnees required to quarantine for at least 10 days. Israel is set to begin vaccinating teens aged 12-15 in the coming weeks.
85 shares
Pfizer-BioNTech s COVID-19 vaccines arrive at a Clalit vaccination center in Jerusalem, on January 4, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/ Flash90)
Israel closed agreements with Pfizer and Moderna on Monday to purchase millions of additional vaccine doses in 2022, with an option for buying another batch of doses.
While the exact number of doses from each company remains secret, Hebrew media reports said Israel agreed to pay for 18 million shots from both companies, with the option to purchase millions more after those have been used.
An earlier version of the agreement would have seen Israel buy 36 million shots in one batch with the vast majority coming from Pfizer a move reportedly nixed by the coalition’s Blue and White party.
5 shares
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein attend the arrival of the DHL freight plane transporting the first batch of Pfizer vaccines landing at Ben Gurion Airport on December 9 2020. (Marc Israel Sellem/ POOL)
With an older deal held up by political infighting, Israel is reportedly closing in on a new agreement with Pfizer and Moderna to purchase some 18 million additional vaccine doses from them half of the reported initially agreed amount.
According to the deal, Israel will immediately pay for 18 million shots from the two companies, Channel 12 reported Sunday, with an option for buying an additional 18 million doses after those have been used. The initial agreement would have seen Israel buy all 36 million in one batch with the vast majority coming from Pfizer (as is the case with the new deal) a move reportedly opposed by the coalition’s Blue and White party.