Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu MORE compared getting a COVID-19 vaccination to landing on the moon on Saturday when he received the first inoculation in the country.
“That was a small shot for a man, a huge step for the health of all of us. May this be so successful. Go out and get vaccinated! Netanyahu noted after his shot, mimicking the words of US astronaut Neil Armstrong, Reuters reported.
In 1969, when Armstrong landed on the moon and planted his left foot on the surface, he declared, “That’s a small step for man, a giant leap for mankind.”
Netanyahu also referred to the Bible book of Exodus during his treatment, telling reporters that he offered “a strong hand and an outstretched arm” to the doctor who vaccinated him.
Israel began receiving shipments of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine last week and will soon receive orders for Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines.
The country predicts it will have enough doses to vaccinate nearly 20 percent of the most at-risk populations before the end of the year, Reuters said.
Netanyahu stated earlier this month that he wanted to get the vaccine first to build confidence in the vaccine among the people in the country.
“I expect the citizens of Israel to vaccinate and to make sure I would like to be a personal example,” Netanyahu said at the time.
US lawmakers and leaders have also been publicly vaccinated, urging the American public to take the coronavirus vaccine when it is made available to them.
Vice President Pence received a coronavirus vaccine on live television on Friday while wearing a mask.
“We gather here today at the end of a historic week to reaffirm to the American people that there is hope to come,” Pence said in comments after receiving the vaccine.
He assured the public that while health and government officials “cut the red tape” to speed up the distribution of the vaccine, they “did not make any turns.”
Israel has reported nearly 372,400 coronavirus cases and more than 3,000 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began, according to Reuters.