Israel plans to offer an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
The country has led in the development of vaccination programs all over the world and is believed to be the first to offer a fourth round of doses according to The New York Times.
The move will “help us get through the Omicron Wave that is taking over our world,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday.
Officials said that at least one COVID-19 patient was killed in the country due to the Omicron variant. It was a senior man who received two doses of the vaccine but there was no third.
Bennett stated that Israel “continues to be at the forefront in the global effort to combat the pandemic.”
Israel was one of the first countries to offer vaccines in the past year and has given doses more quickly than other nations, the newspaper said. Bennett was also one of the first world leaders to approve third doses of vaccine this summer, and to allow people aged 5 and over to get shots last month.
He said on Tuesday that medical teams would start to administer the fourth dose of vaccine for medical professionals and those who are 60 or older.
Bennett also made plans to slow down the Omicron variant. Bennett proposed making travel more difficult by banning all foreigners from entering the country without a specific exemption, and also preventing Israelis being deported to 58 countries including the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
According to Israeli media reports, the number of COVID-19 related cases in Israel increased by 340 to 340 on Tuesday and the total number of cases increased to 1,306. That was the highest daily figure for nearly two months.
Bennett stated that Israel is currently in the midst of a fifth wave of viruses and has urged citizens to get vaccinated and work from home.
Sources:
The New York Times – “In Israel, people over 60 will receive the fourth dose of the vaccine.”
Content Source: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/965409?src=rss
