TEL AVIV—Israel is upping the vaccine ante, pressing citizens to get Covid-19 booster shots and saying those who don’t will face restrictions on traveling, dining out and other activities.
Holders of Israel’s vaccine passports must get a third dose of the Pfizer -BioNTech vaccine within six months of their second dose, or lose the so-called green pass that allows them more freedom.
“We are updating what it means to be vaccinated,” said Israel’s coronavirus czar, Salman Zarka, at a press conference Sunday unveiling the new policy.
A study released by the Israeli health ministry on Sunday found that within 12 days, recipients of a third shot were 10 times less likely to become severely ill and 11 times less likely to become infected than people who had received their second dose five months earlier.
Israeli health officials say they don’t know whether additional boosters, beyond the third dose, will be needed. But they are moving aggressively to get as many people as possible vaccinated with a third shot, as the more contagious Delta variant of the virus spreads. All Israelis over the age of 12 are now eligible to receive a booster if five months have passed since their second shot.
Keep Reading…
