Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Mr. Netanyahu emphasized: “I recommended being the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in Israel. I will have a meeting with the Ministry of Health and related agencies to prepare for a major campaign to bring vaccines to millions of Israeli citizens. The first doses of the vaccine will begin on December 27. “
Israel received shipments of the Covid-19 vaccine yesterday and distributors expect it to have enough vaccine for about a quarter of its population by the end of this year. Pfizer and partner BioNTech last month agreed to provide Israel with 8 million doses of the vaccine. Israel also has a vaccine purchase agreement with Moderna Pharmaceutical Corporation and AstraZeneca.
There are currently nearly 349,000 Covid-19 cases and nearly 3,000 Covid-19 deaths in Israel.