Israel Expanding Vaccination for Over 55s From Tuesday

Beginning Tuesday, Israel’s health funds will begin vaccinating people aged 55 and older, the Health Ministry said Monday.

The expansion was made possible due to the delivery of some 700,000 new vaccine doses that arrived in Israel on Sunday. More are scheduled to come next week.

“The vaccination campaign will be expanded following the arrival of additional vaccine shipments to Israel. Starting Tuesday, January 12, those aged 55 and over who are insured through HMOs will be able to get vaccinated. The HMOs should be contacted in order to schedule an appointment,” said the Health Ministry in a statement.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said that 49,897 Israelis on Sunday became the first citizens to receive their second coronavirus vaccine shots.

Those who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will receive the second dose after at least 21 days, while those who received the Moderna jab will wait at least another week. In either case, only a week after receiving the second shot is the vaccine said to be “working.”