Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, who heads ministry's Public Health Services department, says South African mutation "is more troubling because it can cause serious illness among young people." Around 1,593,000 Israelis, or 17.5% of the country's population, have received the first dose of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he has been in contact with senior Chinese officials and I have once again made clear that the mission is a priority for WHO and the international team.
Israel is set to run out of its supply of Pfizer vaccines within days. Virus continues to race nationwide as over 8,150 Israelis test positive for coronavirus for second consecutive day.
Netanyahu tells ministers that ratcheting up of the ongoing lockdown cannot wait because the mutant variants are spreading rapidly. Inaction would result in catastrophic results, he stresses.
Over 8,000 new COVID cases are diagnosed over the past 24 hours, infection rate skyrockets especially in the ultra-Orthodox sector. Health Ministry approves use of Moderna vaccine, delivery expected in Israel later this month.
With the number of coronavirus patients in serious condition increasing threefold since early December, hospital directors call for immediate action to stop virus' spread. So far, Israel has administered 1.224 million doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine.
Noting lockdown has proven ineffective, top Health Ministry official decries politicization of lockdown among Haredi wheeler-dealers in the Knesset and elsewhere. Despite skyrocketing morbidity rate in the Arab sector, the head of the ministry's coronavirus response in the community reveals few in the community seek to get vaccinated.
Noting recent outbreaks in schools, Health Ministry calls for education system to be shut down in its entirety. In ultimatum, Israel Commerce Forum announces it will open all stores next week if the government does not impose a total and immediate lockdown.
Global media at awe of the incredible speed and success of the Israeli inoculation program that "will most likely become the example of vaccination initiatives worldwide."
Almost a million Israelis vaccinated, putting Israel ahead of the rest of the world.
