Israel has announced that it will administer a 4th dose of the covid-19 vaccine to people over 60 years.
The Omicron variant is a new variant of the coronavirus that has been identified and also fast spreading across the world.
On Tuesday, 21st December 2021, the health ministry of Israel confirmed that there were at least 340 known cases of the new variant, Omicron in Israel. The administration of the vaccine to the aged came about as a result of the recorded death of one of the Omicron patients. He was the first patient to die after being diagnosed with the virus.
The patient who was in his 60s died two weeks after he was admitted to the coronavirus ward at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. The hospital said in a statement, “His morbidity stemmed mainly from pre-existing sickness and not from respiratory infection arising from the coronavirus”.
After the death and confirmed cases, the country has taken safety precaution to prevent the continuous spread of the newfound variant in the country. The country has expanded its travel bands to countries including Germany, Turkey, Italy, the US, and Canada.
The government of Israel has also urged its citizens to work from their respective homes. The Prime Minister of the country also approved for office attendance to be reduced to 50% for all public sector workers.
A health ministry expert panel recommended the 4th dose of the vaccine, a decision that was gladly accepted by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He said, “This is wonderful news that will assist us in getting through the Omicron wave that is engulfing the world. The State of Israel is continuing to stand at the forefront of the globe to deal with the pandemic”.
He also said, “The citizens of Israel were the first in the world to receive the 3rd dose of the covid-19 vaccine and we are continuing to pioneer with the 4th dose as well”. He went ahead to again urge all eligible adults to “Go and get vaccinated”. Although the decision is yet to be formally approved by the senior health officials.
He said, “The vaccine save lives”.