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The Health Ministry said on Wednesday that hospitals would begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to the general public next week as Israel seeks to expand its national vaccination campaign.
A statement from the ministry said the move was aimed at “significantly” increasing the pace of the vaccination campaign. He did not say how the Israelis could schedule an appointment to get vaccinated at hospitals or provide further details on the move so far.
Hospitals have only been vaccinating medical workers, with healthcare organizations tasked with providing vaccines to other Israelis.
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The Health Ministry announcement came as the Oxford University-based website Our World in Data published figures showing Israel leads the world in the number of people per capita receiving the vaccine.
The ranking was skewed by the fact that data for Israel appeared to be up-to-date, while figures for other countries were from several days ago. Still, Israel is likely to remain close to the top of the pack when the data is synced.
An Israeli man receives a COVID-19 vaccine at a Maccabi Healthcare Services vaccination center in Tel Aviv on December 22, 2020 (Miriam Alster / Flash90).
In Israel, which began its vaccination campaign on Sunday, 0.83 out of 100 people have been immunized against the new coronavirus, according to the latest data. The UK, which started vaccinating citizens on December 8, ranked second with 0.74 vaccinated per 100 people, as of December 21.
However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted a graph showing the numbers, declaring: “A tremendous success!”
The Yuli Edelstein Health Ministry also touted Israel’s supposed first place.
“This is how we defeat the coronavirus,” he said in a statement from the Ministry of Health.
Big success! Israel in the first place in the world to vaccinate its citizens against the crown ???????? pic.twitter.com/9Qx28qq7qA
– Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) December 23, 2020
Figures released by the ministry in the morning showed that about 75,000 vaccines have been administered so far, including nearly 45,000 on Tuesday.
The national vaccination program began on Sunday and medical workers received the first injections. Starting Monday, vaccines were opened to those over 60, as well as those in risk groups.
The government has not yet specified when the vaccines will be available to the general public.
The launch of the vaccination program comes as Israel faces a surge in daily infections, and ministers meet Wednesday to discuss imposing a third national blockade.
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