With Israel entering a third strict lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there will be enough vaccines to inoculate all citizens over the age of 16 by the end of March, a report said.
“We will be the first country to emerge from the coronavirus,” Netanyahu said Thursday night, the Jerusalem Post reported. “We will vaccinate all relevant populations and anyone who wants to can be vaccinated.”
He said another shipment of vaccines will arrive on Sunday, and many more to follow, adding that an agreement has been reached with Pfizer to send more doses, and faster, to transform Israel into a “model nation” to help. beat the outbreak.
“This is a breakthrough that will get us out of the coronavirus crisis and bring us back to life,” Netanyahu said according to the news broadcast. “This is how we open the economy, go back to work, to the synagogue … to the lives we love and miss.”
He added that Israel “will share with Pfizer and humanity as a whole the statistics that will help develop strategies to beat the virus. We can do this because our health system is one of the most advanced in the world. “
The Department of Health later clarified that only “general data” will be provided to Pfizer, including data on pandemic morbidity. No personal information will be released, he said.
Netanyahu said he spoke with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla 17 times, including on the last day, the Jerusalem Post reported.
On Thursday morning, health officials said 1,590,000 Israelis had received their first shots – about 17 percent of the population.
The last lockdown, which started Friday, will last at least two weeks.