Israel Gets Head Start Vaccinating Kids

Israeli health providers began vaccinating children aged 5-11, ahead of schedule on Monday, The Times of Israel reported.

Officially, the vaccine campaign for kids begins on Tuesday, but with shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine already arriving, the shots were being made available as of Monday afternoon.

Health officials said several hundred children were vaccinated Monday and that appointments for vaccinations starting on Tuesday had been booked for 24,000 children — 2.5% of those eligible in the age group.

At a press conference, coronavirus commissioner Salman Zarka warned parents that they might see some side effects: “The disease is mild [in children], but there are cases where the disease can continue with long-term symptoms such as insomnia and muscle aches.”

On a reassuring note, he added, “more than 3 million children have been vaccinated in the U.S. and we are seeing effective results.”

Along with protecting children, the vaccine provides a solution to a normal and uninsulated life,” he said. “It will help parents get back to normal.”