While America grapples with vaccine doses due to logistical bottlenecks and supply shortages, the rollout of vaccines in Israel is showing signs of dramatic success.
Just over four months ago, Israel’s COVID-19 outbreak was one of the worst on Earth, and the country was severely shut down. Then the Israeli government struck a deal with Pfizer-BioNTech for enough doses to vaccinate every Israeli adult by the end of March.
After two months, the data is as promising as scientists predicted. In a study among 1.2 million people, the 600,000 who received the vaccine were 94% less likely to develop symptomatic infections.
Professor Gili Regev-Yochay, director of Sheba Medical Center’s Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, said supplies are stable and the program is working.
“It’s amazing,” he said, adding, “and they are now lowering the levels, the ages at which people can already be vaccinated.”
Just a few days ago, Israel’s shutdown was relaxed. It’s a welcome new reality for the nation – and for us a possible glimpse of the future.
There is also more hope for other countries, as the global vaccination effort is slowly growing outside the rich developed world. Syrian refugees are now receiving photos and the first shipments have just arrived in Zimbabwe.
© 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.