The number of Israelis given the first dose of the COVID vaccine stands at an "unbelievable" 280,000, Health Ministry Yuli Edelstein reported Sunday morning. Some 71,000 were vaccinated this past week.
"We continue to vaccinate for your sake, we are protecting Israel," Edelstein said.
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Israel's coronavirus vaccination campaign is slated to be expanded this week to include people under 60 who suffer from chronic health conditions, putting them at higher risk of complications from the virus, the Health Ministry said Saturday.
The Health Ministry was scheduled to issue formal instructions on Sunday for healthcare providers to begin vaccinating people who meet this criterion.
Ministry officials also said that by the end of December, which falls on Thursday of this week, vaccinations would be made available to younger age groups, pending the arrival of more shipments of vaccines.
Also on Sunday, healthcare providers were slated to begin administering vaccinations at retirement homes and other living facilities for the elderly run by welfare agencies.
Meanwhile, Edelstein has instructed ministry director general Professor Hezi Levy to look into the possibility of vaccinating teachers beginning the first week in January, if the committee charged with deciding on priorities decides to proceed with that sector. Both Education Minister Yoav Gallant and teachers' union leader Yaffa Ben-David have requested that teachers receive vaccines as soon as possible.
Authorities hope that when teachers are vaccinated, it will be possible to send children back to school, which will make it easier for parents to go back to work.
The Health Ministry planned to have 150 vaccination stations up and running by Sunday, with an additional 80 open by Tuesday.
The nation's largest healthcare provider, Clalit, continued vaccinating eligible Israelis over the weekend, bringing the total number of people to have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to nearly a quarter million.
This week, Clalit plans to begin administering vaccinations around the clock at its largest vaccination centers in Tel Aviv Herzliya and Haifa. Other HMOS are also expected to extend their vaccination hours
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