Israel’s Most Popular Status Symbol of 2020: A Pfizer Vaccine

The most popular status symbol in Israel these days is not the latest device, but the coronavirus vaccine and the brand everyone wants is Pfizer. Rumors that are going viral on social media are about how you can get the vaccine. , and only some of them are fake news.While a month ago, a large number of Israelis, about half the population, expressed doubts about whether they wanted the vaccine due to the speed with which it was developed and the sensational stories About its dangers, many are now in a frenzy. race to get vaccinated as quickly as possible. Israel leads the world in vaccination rate so far, with 7.44% of the population already receiving their vaccine. Unlike some countries, where the criteria for receiving the vaccine are unclear, in Israel it has become clear that this early release is strictly for medical personnel, people over 60 years old and those with serious health conditions that put them at high risk. if they become infected by All anyone in these categories has to do to get vaccinated is call their health fund to make an appointment (or in the case of medical professionals, to make an appointment to get vaccinated at work). The system was open for appointments, there were failures in the health fund’s phone, app and websites, almost everyone who is eligible has been vaccinated or has an appointment. Health officials have repeatedly promised that teachers and the School personnel will be the next group to get vaccinated, as schools are still open during Israel’s third shutdown, which began Sunday.

But the clarity of the process, and the government’s assurances that anyone who needs a vaccine will receive one as soon as possible, haven’t stopped the gold rush for them. Perhaps the festive, headline-grabbing launch of vaccines helped. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein were vaccinated on December 19, just after the first vaccines arrived, dressed not in their usual suits and ties, but in all-black outfits that were later lampooned in the week on the satirical TV show Eretz. Nehederet (Wonderful Country) – The next morning, former coronavirus commissioner and executive director of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Professor Ronni Gamzu, was serenaded by pop star Ivri Lider as he sat down to get vaccinated in the lobby from his hospital, as doctors and nurses danced. The hospital continued to vaccinate more than 60 celebrities in the lobby during the week, including journalist and producer Gal Uchovsky and film director Avi Nesher. Gabi Barbash, Sourasky’s former CEO and well-known Channel 12 News commentator, who has calmly explained the facts about the virus during the crisis, was vaccinated live on television. Chelli Goldenberg, an actress who was once one of Israel’s top models, posted a photo on Instagram from her 1985 film Banot (Girls) about female IDF recruits, showing her glamorous girl persona getting vaccinated on her induction. and asking anxiously; “It doesn’t leave a mark, does it?”

Apparently this charm offense worked, and all of a sudden, all the youngsters seemed to want what the 60-plus group was having. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have been filled with advice on how those who are not in high-risk groups can get vaccinated. Rumors spread that the vaccine was now available to everyone and that all you had to do was call your health fund to schedule an appointment.A long thread on the Secret Jerusalem Facebook page posted by Juliet Solomon, with hundreds of comments, separated the myths from the facts about vaccine distribution. That post discussed the fact that it is sometimes possible to go to a vaccine center or health fund and get vaccinated at the end of the day without an appointment, because all vaccines must be used quickly once they are packed during the day, sometimes people don’t show up for appointments, and often there are leftover vaccines left that can be given to anyone there, otherwise they will be thrown away. Solomon, who said he would use the information he gleaned from the posts on how to get the leftover vaccines, added that he thought the younger ones felt it was urgent to get vaccinated because, “Young people (the non-anti-vaccines) are also eager to get vaccinated because they are afraid of contracting the crown, they want to be able to hug their family and friends, and they also want to travel (either for pleasure or to visit family) ”. A young woman who lives near Jerusalem started a WhatsApp group with her friends where they exchange information about which centers will have leftover vaccines at the end of the day. She did not want her name used because a friend of hers is a nurse in one of the health funds and has been giving the group advice on where vaccines were likely to be left every day. The woman said she had been vaccinated Monday night. He acknowledged that none of his friends were “remotely high risk,” but said, “I just want to get back to normal. So with vaccines here, it’s like I have to get one as soon as I can. You could say that my patience ran out. “She is a marathon runner and said:” The vaccine scares me a little, the side effects. But I am more afraid of contracting the virus, especially with all these consequences that the rest of my life. ”She wanted to make it very clear that her friend, the nurse, is giving this advice, not selling it, and that“ no one skips the line. These are vaccines that would otherwise be thrown away. ”