Over Two-Thirds of Over 60s Say They’ll Get Third Shot

Some 72 percent of Israelis aged 60 and over say they intend to get their third COVID-19 vaccine dose when it becomes available next week, according to a Channel 12 poll on Thursday night.

Only 9% said they won’t, and the rest don’t know.

While Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was urging the elder cohort to go for a third shot on Thursday, Kan news reported that recommendation for it by an expert panel was not unanimous. Kan explained, however, that the majority did back it, and the main point of disagreement was over whether to give it to people 60 and up, 65 and up, or 70 and up.

“It’s a complicated decision and there’s a reason experts are making it. There’s no way to test the longevity of antibodies. It’s an individual decision,” health expert Ran Balicer told the station.

The poll also sampled opinion on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s performance during the health crisis so far. He was bested by former PM Binyamin Netanyahu, as 43 percent of respondents said they think Netanyahu’s handling of the coronavirus was better than Bennett’s, while 21 percent favored Bennett.

However, the network observed that the response was closely correlated with political affiliations, with most right-wingers favoring Netanyahu and most left-wingers preferring Bennett.

Meanwhile, Bennett ordered a stepped-up oversight of coronavirus rules on public transport.

His office said that Transportation and Road Safety Minister Merav Michaeli reached agreement with the Finance Ministry Budget Division that budgetary approval would be given to the Transportation Ministry to dispatch 400 inspectors to enforce masking requirements.

In the first stage, the budget will be approved for three months, with an additional assessment of the situation to be held later.