It’s here! Last week, Israel rolled out the long-awaited Covid-19 vaccination and began to immunize the adult population.
Dubbed “Operation Give a Shoulder” – a Hebrew phrase meaning “to support” – the inoculation project began with shots being given to a few leadership figures, senior citizens and healthcare workers.
Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center celebrated the arrival of the vaccine with a party led by singer Ivri Lider, who serenaded the medical workers as they gathered to get down on the dancefloor and get their shots.
The first batch of vaccinations included a few hundred thousand doses, and that number is set to increase to around 4 million by the end of the month. The vaccination is administered in two stages; the second shot is administered three weeks after the first.
Already 250,000 people have received the shots, pushing Israel into second place for corona vaccines per capita around the world. The government’s goal is to inoculate around 150,000 people a day – or two million people by the end of January.
After healthcare workers and people over the age of 60, Israel will offer the Covid-19 vaccination to people with diseases such as diabetes, as well as to social workers and teachers. All those eligible can get the shots at vaccination centers set up by their HMOs.
Today a third nationwide lockdown in a bid to battle the spread of the virus. The lockdown will last at least two weeks. Unlike in previous lockdowns, children in preschool and first to fourth grades, as well as 11th and 12th grades, will continue going to school.
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