New Delhi: In a first, Israel is set to offer a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to healthworkers and people older than 60 amid concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant induced Covid-19 cases across the world.
Welcoming the decision on fourth dose recommended by a health ministry expert panel, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said, "Great news that will help us overcome the Omicron wave that is spreading around the world."
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Even as the decision is pending formal approval by senior health officials, Bennett urged Israelis to get the dose as soon as possible, according to news agency Reuters. "My message is - don’t waste time, go get vaccinated," said Bennett.
The decision comes close on the heels of the first known death in Israel of a patient with the Omicron variant, according to Reuters. An Israeli hospital on Tuesday confirmed the death but said he had suffered from a number of serious pre-existing conditions.
A man in his 60s succumbed to the virus two weeks after he was admitted to the coronavirus at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.
The patient suffered from a variety of serious illnesses, according to the hospital statement. "His morbidity stemmed mainly from pre-existing sicknesses and not from respiratory infection arising from the coronavirus,” it said.
On Tuesday, the Health Ministry said there were at least 340 known cases of Omicron in Israel.
Israel has already imposed a travel ban to countries including the United States, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Canada to curb the spread of the virus. Bennett's office said it had also approved reducing office attendance by 50 per cent for public sector employees to encourage more remote work.
And Defence Minister Benny Gantz ordered the military’s Homefront Command to prepare for the eventuality of 5,000 new cases per day, his office said.