Israel vaccinated more than 186,000 people yesterday, a record number. On the other hand, 10,000 positive cases were reported per day for the first time, which is also a record for the country.
NPO Radio 1 reporter Ties Brock says 10 percent of all tests yesterday were positive. “This is the highest in months.” Among ultra-Orthodox Jews, there is a relatively large number of casualties, says the reporter. “They often live with large families in small buildings. They don’t always adhere to the closure rules, some schools are open, for example.” The British variant is also causing more infections in the country.
Israel is the fastest in the world to vaccinate: about a quarter of the population has been vaccinated. In fact, nearly half a million people have already taken the second dose, Brooke says. However, for Palestinians in the occupied territories, vaccination has not yet started. “Israel says it is not responsible for the vaccination strategy in those areas, but that has met with great resistance, also from outside.”
“On the other hand,” says Brook, “the Palestinian Authority has not formally requested Israel yet, as far as we know.” Local media reported that the first 5,000 doses of Sputnik vaccine from Russia will soon reach the occupied territories. The reporter concludes, “The hope is that they will now be able to start vaccination quickly, although more doses should be followed.”
