Enlarge image
Woman in Israel during vaccination (archive image)
Photo: Oded Balilty / dpa
Israel is currently still testing the effectiveness of a fourth corona vaccination, but a considerable part of the population is already to be protected in the fight against the omicron variant.
The country now also wants to vaccinate over 60s and medical staff for the fourth time against the corona virus.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told journalists on Sunday evening that the Ministry of Health had approved the move.
It followed the recommendation of a panel of experts in view of the rapid expansion of Omikron.
The fourth vaccination for people with immunodeficiency began in Israel on Friday.
The second booster was also allowed in care facilities for seniors.
A week ago, the Schiba Hospital near Tel Aviv started a study on the fourth vaccination against the coronavirus with the vaccine from Pfizer / Biontech.
The clinic announced interim results on Sunday: The side effects are similar to those after the third dose.
In the coming days they also want to inform about the extent to which the antibodies rise again after the fourth dose.
Vaccination quota in the country is manageable
Israel has already passed the fourth corona wave, but the number of infections has recently increased massively again.
Currently, the average number is 5000 new infections per day.
Bennett said given the omicron wave, they expected them to top 20,000 by the end of the week.
He refuses another lockdown.
"Our main goal is still to have a functioning economy while protecting the weakest."
Only around 60 percent of the 9.4 million Israelis are still considered fully vaccinated.
These are twice vaccinated up to six months after the second vaccination and people with booster vaccination.
31 percent of the population are not vaccinated at all, with nine percent the vaccination has already expired.
jok / dpa