JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel began inoculating a fourth dose of the vaccine to the population most vulnerable to the coronavirus on Friday, becoming one of the first countries to do so as it prepares for a new wave of infections fueled by the omicron variant.
Israel, which led a world-pioneering vaccination program in 2020, will administer the new dose to people with weaker immune systems, as well as the elderly and nursing home employees.
The new campaign began at Sheba Medical Center, where heart and lung transplant patients were put.
The country is immersed in a new wave of infections fueled by omicron, a more contagious variant. 4,085 new infections were reported on Thursday, its worst since late September.
In response, new restrictions were enacted Thursday night to try to curb the growing infections ahead of the New Year celebrations. These include a pass that will be granted to those who are fully vaccinated or have recently overcome the coronavirus, for events of more than 100 people outdoors, and the mandatory use of a mask at outdoor events of more than 50.
Israel, a country of 9.3 million people, has reported 8,243 deaths from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. The majority of its population, more than 6.5 million people, have received at least one dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, and more than 4.2 million have two doses and a booster.
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