JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Sunday that medical staff and people over 60 are now eligible to receive a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as the country faces a surge of new cases.
“I call on everyone who is eligible for a fourth dose to get vaccinated. This is mainly the older population,” Bennett said during a primetime press conference, adding that the dose would give a “new layer” of protection.
Medical staff can get the fourth dose if at least four months have passed since they received the first booster shot, he said. Last week, Israel approved the extra jab for immunocompromised individuals.
The new policy comes as Israel reports about 5,000 new COVID cases per day. Bennett warned that the country will likely see 10,000 new daily cases by the weekend, and 50,000 cases during the peak of the wave.
Despite the recent surge, Bennett said Israel’s mortality rate is lower than most countries.
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“Recent mortality in Israel has been among the lowest in the world. In Britain, mortality per capita is 50 times greater. In Germany, it is 100 times greater. In the US, it is 130 times greater than in the State of Israel,” the prime minister said.
Bennett also said the government’s decision in November to restrict travel has helped Israel battle the Omicron variant.
“In Israel, we prepared for the Omicron wave very early, before everyone,” said Bennett. “Five weeks ago we closed the State of Israel to entry by foreign nationals. This greatly delayed the entry of Omicron to the country. We bought time and we utilized it well.”
But Israel may reopen its skies to foreigners soon.
“I closed the skies five weeks ago when everything was fine, and in the coming week, it is likely that we will reopen the skies,” Bennett said.
He explained that while the move may seem counterproductive, the virus is already running rampant in Israel and another 50 infections among incoming travelers are “meaningless.”
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