Israel COVID Vaccine Cost Revealed: NIS 2.6B

​The Finance Committee, chaired by MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, approved on Tuesday the allocation of NIS 1.973 billion to the Health Ministry as part of the budget for dealing with the corona pandemic. The funding request, signed by the Minister of Finance, specifies that the money is designated for supporting the health-care system in its various activities aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus and preserving the public’s health.

NIS 1.349 billon of the total amount will be used to finance the continued corona testing, epidemiological investigations and the isolation of citizens. Some NIS 264 million are earmarked for the health maintenance organizations, this in light of the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic is still a threat to public health in 2021.

Another NIS 185 million are designated for implementing purchase agreements with corona vaccine manufacturers; NIS 93 million will be used to fund the Home Front Command’s system for breaking the chain of infection, as well as for epidemiological investigations, and NIS 82 million will be used to fund the logistics of the vaccination drive, including security, additional manpower at vaccination sites, and training.

A Treasury official informed the committee that Israel has so far spent NIS 2.6 billon on the purchase of vaccine doses from various manufacturers. An official from the Health Ministry said an additional NIS 2.5 billion will be allocated for the purchase of more vaccine doses.

Chairman Rabbi Gafni said, “I wish to laud the Prime Minister for the vaccination drive. The State of Israel is ahead of all the other countries in the word, baruch Hashem. We are pleased that the vaccines are working and that we can begin to get back to the routine.”