Israel’s coronavirus vaccination campaign underway – in photos

By admin On Dec 20, 2020

Israel kick-started its coronavirus vaccine program on Sunday morning as politicians, medical professionals and health workers began receiving the vaccine from 6 a.m.The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which arrived in Israel on December 9, was given first to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein on Saturday night.

Former Coronavirus commissioner and CEO of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Prof. Ronni Gamzu, got the rock star treatment as he was vaccinated against the virus in the lobby of the medical center on Sunday morning, along with other VIPs from the worlds of religion and politics.

Prof. Ronni Gamzu is inoculated against the novel coronavirus (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem)

Gamzu, as well as former chief rabbi, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau and Finance Minister Israel Katz, were vaccinated following a musical performance by Ivri Lider, where doctors and nurses danced.

Gamzu gave the thumbs up after receiving the vaccine and said Israel could and should become number one in the world in terms of vaccinating its citizens. He thanked the medical personnel, saying they had given the best care in the world and ended by urging all Israelis to follow his example: “Make an appointment and get vaccinated. It’s the right thing to do.”

Lau echoed his sentiments and said that the vaccine would bring unity to Israel and that when it came to the vaccine, “There is no difference between right and left, religious and less, Arabs and Jews” as the virus has attacked everyone equally.

Minister Israel Katz is vaccinated on December 20 (Credit: Avshalom Sassoni/Maariv)

Katz promised more aid to those unemployed due to the virus.

President Reuven Rivlin was also vaccinated on Sunday afternoon at Hadassah-University Medical Center, in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem. Rivlin said afterwards, “The concerns are legitimate, but it is important to remember that the vaccines that in Israel have gone through meticulous processes, have passed stringent checks and been approved both by the US Food and Drugs Administration and by the Israeli Health Ministry.”“When you go and get vaccinated, you are not only taking care of your own health, but of the health of those around you. You will also be helping everyone to return to normal life. You will be helping the economy to restart and to take some of the enormous pressure off our medical teams.”The president also took time to pay tribute to Israel’s healthcare workers stating, “This is another opportunity to salute the medical teams in the hospitals and clinics and to thank you for the hours, the effort, the care. Israeli society owes you a great debt of gratitude.”President Reuven Rivlin gets the coronavirus vaccine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, December 20, 2020 (Mark Neyman/GPO)
Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy, said on Sunday, “An exciting day with a lot of hope. There is a great response to getting vaccinated and this is the key to getting out of the coronavirus crisis.”Our directive to hospitals and health funds is to vaccinate the medical staff today and tomorrow and starting Tuesday to vaccinate people aged 60 and over.”

“The vaccines are already here,” Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay said upon receiving the vaccine. “If we all mobilize, the plague could be behind us soon. I call on all Israeli citizens: Get vaccinated! These vaccines have gone through all the required process and are safe to use. It is a great victory for science and humanity.”

Clalit director-general Ehud Dodson (L) alongside Health Minister Yuli Edelstein receives the coronavirus vaccine, Heichal Shlomo (Credit: Avi Cohen)“Yesterday I was vaccinated, I feel great,” said Edelstein alongside Clalit Healthcare director-general Ehud Dodson at Heichal Shlomo in Tel Aviv. “Thanks to the efforts of the Prime Minister, myself and the Health Ministry we moved forward with the vaccines.”We as the State of Israel are in a special situation. We are aware that there will be glitches, because it is impossible to carry out an operation of millions of vaccinations without a glitch here and there. I ask everyone for patience and come and get vaccinated. Only then can we return to the routine we knew.”Dodson said, “Clalit is preparing and setting out today for the great national campaign for coronavirus vaccines that will free us from the difficult period we have been experiencing for almost a year. We are embarking on a deployment of dozens of centers around the country in the coming week.”

Head of Public Health Services Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis receives the coronavirus vaccine, Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus, December 20, 2020 (Credit: Rabin Medical Center)

Dr. Sharon Elroy-Preis, Head of Public Health Services, said after receiving the vaccine that “This is a day that gives new hope to the citizens of the State of Israel – a real hope for a safe return to normal life. The vaccine is effective, safe and the feeling after is excellent. I also lent a shoulder, and I call on everyone to join the senior members of the system who are already getting vaccinated.”

Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz will be vaccinated later on Sunday. Many more senior physicians and other hospital staff were vaccinated at the event. In a survey conducted by the Israel Medical Association, 82% of doctors said they would take the coronavirus vaccine when offered. “We are coming to this vaccine with the understanding and hope that it will end this cursed pandemic,” said Zeev Feldman, president of the association. “We are determined to end this. The only way to do that is to vaccinate.” Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay receives the coronavirus vaccine, Sheba Medical Center (Credit: Sheba Medical Center)On Saturday night, Levy told The Jerusalem Post that shipments are meant to arrive at a pace of about twice a week.So far, around 600,000 Pfizer vaccines have arrived in Israel and several million more are meant to come before the end of the month. After medical personnel, seniors over the age of 60 and those with pre-existing medical conditions that put them at high risk for developing a serious condition of the virus will be prioritized for vaccination. This general campaign is expected to start on Monday at health funds across Israel.Israel has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus. So far, 3,074 people have died from the disease.Maccabi Healthcare Services CEO Ran Saar receives the coronavirus vaccine (Credit: Courtesy Maccabi Healthcare Services)