Netanyahu vaccinates first in Israel "to set an example" to the undecided

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives the covid vaccine on Saturday in Tel Aviv.AMIR COHEN / AP

Benjamin Netanyahu, 71, this Saturday became the first Israeli to be vaccinated against the coronavirus "to set an example" to the citizens of his country.

The head of the government's inoculation was broadcast live from the Sheba hospital, near Tel Aviv, at nighttime primetime.

Although two in three Israelis declare that they intend to be immunized, only one in four is determined to do so as soon as possible, according to a survey published by the daily

Yedioth Ahrontoh.

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"It is a small injection for a man, but a big step for all of us," said the media prime minister, who could not resist the space epic before the threat of having to face new elections soon in Israel.

"I have asked to be the first to set a personal example and encourage everyone to get vaccinated," he commented, looking at the camera without a mask while his personal doctor showed the Pfizer vial in a ceremonial study.

"I believe in this vaccine," Netanyahu proclaimed, before announcing that at the end of the month the Jewish state will have millions of doses.

He was accompanied in the inoculation line by the Minister of Health, Yuli Edelstein, and the top of his department.

Israeli health officials aspire to be able to immunize the population at risk in the short term.

Israel is a relatively small and young country.

It has 9.2 million inhabitants, with an average age of 30 years.

Those over 65 represent 10% of the census, half that of the European Union.

The immunization campaign, launched with great fanfare, will actually begin this Sunday, the first day of the work week in the Middle East, among health personnel who are in contact with covid-19 patients.

Those over 60 years of age will continue from Monday, starting with those admitted to residences, as well as their caregivers.

Israel already has half a million doses of vaccines, which it has been receiving since last day 9, when Netanyahu himself received the first shipment from the Pfizer company at the Tel Aviv airport runway.

After older citizens, it is expected that those diagnosed with diabetes, morbid obesity or immunosuppressed, among other risk factors for mortality from covid-19, will be inoculated.

Teachers, social workers and prison officials are listed in the following order of preference, followed by the military and members of the security forces.

Pregnant women, patients with severe allergies and those under 16 years of age are for now excluded from the campaign.

Those who receive the vaccine will have a "green passport" that can be used, for example, to access entertainment venues or travel by plane without restrictions.

The number of new daily cases has already exceeded the bar set by the Government itself to reimpose restrictions on mobility, and is close to 3,000 daily positives, the highest level recorded in the last two months.

Despite the accelerated purchase of vaccines and the rapid start of the inoculation campaign, Israel has encountered mistrust from broad sectors of society, especially the Arab minorities (20% of the population) and the ultra-Orthodox Jews (12%) .

The most favorable to immunization (85%) are those over 65 years of age.

The World Health Organization has warned that if more than two-thirds of the population cannot be vaccinated, it is difficult to achieve the level of protection offered by herd immunity.

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