Israel will offer the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to people over 60 Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel announced on Tuesday that it would offer a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to people over the age of 60 amid concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

A panel of experts from the Ministry of Health recommended the background, which was quickly welcomed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as “great news that will help us overcome the wave of Omicron that is spreading around the world”.

Although the decision is awaiting formal approval from top health officials, Bennett urged the Israelis to take the dose as soon as possible, saying, “My message is: don’t waste time, go get vaccinated.” Israel of a patient with Omicron variant. An Israeli hospital confirmed the death on Tuesday, but said it had several serious conditions that preceded it.

The Beersheba Soroka Medical Center said the man, aged 60, died on Monday after entering the coronavirus ward two weeks later.

The hospital said in a statement that the patient had a number of serious illnesses. “Her illness was caused mainly by a pre-existing disease, not by a respiratory infection caused by a coronavirus,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said at least 340 Omicron cases were known in Israel.

Israel has already extended a travel ban to the United States, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Canada this week to try to reduce the spread of the virus.

Bennett’s office said it also approved a 50% reduction in office attendance for public sector employees to encourage remote work.

And Defense Secretary Benny Gantz has ordered his military command of the Homefront Command to prepare for the event of 5,000 new cases a day.