Israel’s campaign to vaccinate its citizens against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) celebrated a significant milestone Thursday after some 50% received the second Pfizer-developed vaccine, becoming fully inoculated.
The Health Ministry updated Wednesday night that over 5,201,000 Israelis, some 56%, received the first vaccine, and over 4,649,000 received the second dose, 50% of the citizens.
“We have crossed the 50% threshold of all Israeli citizens who are vaccinated in the second dose. Thanks to you, the state of Israel is defeating Corona. All that remains is to follow the [social distancing] guidelines so that the Corona does not return,” stated Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein.
The rapid and successful vaccination campaign has dramatically brought to a decline in the pandemic in the country and has enabled Israel to almost fully reopen its economy, including closed shopping malls and cultural events.
The Ministry of Health said it documented only 681 new COVID-19 cases over the past day.
Of the 41,449 tests done over the past day, only 1.7% returned positive.
483 of the patients hospitalized with Corona are in serious condition, 218 of them are on life support. The numbers here have been steadily dropping.
6,154 Israelis have died of the virus.