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Ten days ago, Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital was celebrating: employees of the medical center danced in aprons and masks. The reason: the first vaccines against the coronavirus.
Israel started immunization very early. And very fast. As of earlier this week, nearly 500,000 Israelis, or about five percent of the population, had been vaccinated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised that it will soon be possible to immunize 150,000 people a day, a goal that far exceeds even Germany’s plans.
“Our goal is to set a world record for vaccinations,” Netanyahu said. “In a month we will vaccinate all citizens over 60 and all medical personnel. If we can do it, in another 30 days we will leave the virus behind, open the economy and do things that no other country can do.
The third block must be the last
Netanyahu did not mention that in September there were more infected people per capita in Israel than in any other country. But even his critics do not dispute the current speed of immunizations in the country. The starting point is that if risk groups are protected, normality in daily life will begin to return.
The third blockade, which began on Sunday, will be Israel’s last. But why are you in such a rush with vaccines? Dr. Arnon Afek from Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv said Israel’s scale favored the process: the country was small. This facilitates the distribution of the vaccine. The four state health insurance funds also play a role. According to Afek, the prime minister’s goal of 150,000 vaccines a day will be a difficult task.
“But I think we can handle it,” he said.
The key to success
By March, Israel wants to vaccinate 60 percent of the population. And because the number of young people in Israel is much higher than in many other countries, all Israelis over the age of 60 can now get vaccinated.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has personally handled the procurement of vaccines
Rapid vaccination would not be possible without the right amount of vaccines. According to media reports, by the end of January, Israel will have between 4 and 5.6 million doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine. While in Germany, for example, only between 3 and 4 million vaccines will be available on the same date.
When it became clear in the fall that Pfizer and BioNTech were highly effective, Israel began to firmly place orders. Prime Minister Netanyahu personally called the CEO of Pfizer. Israeli journalist Nedav Eyal does not rule out the possibility that money also played a role. “The European Union pays $ 18 for a dose of the vaccine, and Israel – $ 30, according to media reports. For Pfizer, that’s very important.”
An experiment destined for success
Israel could become one of the first countries in the world to see life return to normal after vaccines. “Israel is a good experimental field for vaccines. As the population is relatively young, it takes less time to vaccinate all people at risk,” said Nedav Eyal.
The rulers do not want to waste time. The latest plan: vaccination centers to work 24 hours. Seven days a week.
The text has been published HERE
