JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel restricted its COVID Green Pass on Sunday so that only those who had received a booster dose or had recently recovered from a coronavirus infection could access closed facilities and facilities.
Technical problems dampened the launch of the new Health Ministry pass, a kind of digital vaccine passport, when millions of Israelis tried to update the digital certificate that would allow them to enter shops, restaurants, cultural events, gyms and other enclosed areas.
According to the new recommendations, people need to have received a booster dose to get their pass. Those who have received two doses or have recovered from the coronavirus can only get it for six months from their last vaccination or recovery.
The new criteria assume that almost 2 million people will lose their vaccination passport in the next few days. The government’s coronavirus advisory team was scheduled to meet Sunday to discuss the restrictions.
Dozens of Israelis demonstrated across the country to protest the pass system. Car caravans clogged the roads Sunday as many Israelis returned to work after major Jewish holidays in September. Opponents of the system said it was a form of forced vaccination.
“We are totally against forced vaccinations, or any forced medication, and we are totally against doing anything that we disagree with for our children and grandchildren,” said Sarah Felt, who was protesting on the main highway that connects Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Israel moved ahead this year by vaccinating most of its adult population, after reaching an agreement with Pfizer that it shared medical data in exchange for a continued supply of doses.
Israel launched an aggressive booster dose campaign this summer to ensure the effectiveness of immunization. More than 60% of the Israeli population has received two doses of Pfizer / BioNTech and almost 3.5 million of the 9.3 million citizens have received a booster dose. But at least 2 million people have received just two doses, and many will lose the privileges granted by the pass.
New cases of coronavirus in Israel have grown in recent months. By Sunday, more than 70% of the 588 severe coronavirus cases in Israeli hospitals were unvaccinated, according to the Health Ministry.
The ministry issued a statement on Sunday and indicated that given the heavy traffic on the pass’s website and app, the above certificates would be valid for several days.
–
