Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, 3,003 Israelis have died of the virus, the Health Ministry reported, Monday.
Of the 50,641 people who tested for the coronavirus, Sunday, 1,707 were found to be carrying the virus, for an positivity rate of 3.4%. There are currently 17,691 confirmed active cases in Israel, 353 of which are serious. Of those in serious condition, 100 are on ventilators.
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Israel received the first shipment of pharmaceutical firm Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine last week and also has ordered 6 million doses of Moderna's vaccine, in addition to developing its own, called BriLife. Israel plans to begin rolling out its vaccination program on Dec. 27.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein paid a visit on Sunday to the Maccabi healthcare provider coronavirus vaccination facility in Tel Aviv.
"The ability of the country's healthcare providers to carry out the mission shows us that we will apparently be able to bring forward optimally vaccinating the population of Israel, in my opinion, the best in the world," said Netanyahu, according to a statement from his office.
"Moreover, of course, we welcome the fact that the American regulatory agency, the Food and Drug Administration, has approved the Pfizer vaccine. We are beginning the end of the pandemic," he added.
But until that time, he stressed, "I ask that the rules be strictly followed. There is no reason that we should pay with casualties, with tragedies, and with severe cases beyond the necessary minimum. We see what is happening in the world, the huge tragedies in the US, Germany, Russia, and other parts of Europe. Israel can exit this better. I ask for your cooperation. What I can tell you today is that we are on the way to bringing forward the vaccinations."
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Edelstein said he had ordered the Health Ministry to examine the FDA's authorization of emergency use of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine and submit its recommendations for Israel's emergency use of the vaccine in the coming days.
He said that Israel could begin to vaccinate its citizens earlier than planned. "Maybe by next week we will be able to start vaccinating the medical teams," said the health minister.
Edelstein added that it was time to begin taking on the "fake news" surrounding the vaccines.
"I want to start fighting this even now. We have seen accounts to the effect that several items [needed for the vaccine] are lacking. These are mere rumors. Nothing is lacking. The four healthcare providers are exceptionally well prepared. In the coming days we will bring news to Israel that it will be among the first countries in the world that are vaccinating," he said.
According to an Israel Hayom poll, 37% of respondents said they would refuse vaccines, while 19% would neither confirm nor deny whether they plan to get vaccinated. Forty-four percent of respondents said they intended to get the vaccine.
JNS.org contributed to this report.
