Israel's Health Ministry is fighting against an "alternative healer," Rabbi Yuval Hacohen Asherov, who is recommending on social media that Israelis refrain from receiving the coronavirus vaccine, Yediot Aharonot reported.

Over the past several weeks, YouTube videos from Rabbi Asherov have been shared, in which he can be seen warning of the dangers of the vaccine.

His videos have been widely shared, and have gained much popularity.

"I really wonder where the new virus is here," Asherov said in one of his videos. "They changed the name from flu to corona. There's just a lot of fear from the doctors and the media....this kind of vaccine is like genetic engineering. With this kind of thing there could be a lot of problems. The dangers that I'm quoting from doctors include autoimmune disorders, probably among part of the population, and infertility."

In another video he speaks about a rare occurrence in whcih antibodies formed during the immune reaction attack the body at a later date. "If this occurs then everyone who receives the vaccine is in danger," he claimed. "They tried this one on three different types of animals - cats, mice, and monkeys. The monkeys reacted very well to the virus, the antibodies rose, but after five to seven months the monkeys began suffering from severe lung diseases and infections and they all became out of shape. There were only a few vaccines on animals and this is information that's very hidden."

Many internet users have asked Asherov for advice regarding the vaccine, and a significant portion of them, including those with pre-existing conditions, have been answered with anti-vax tropes, although they were also told that the final decision rests with the questioner.

Among the well-known figures asking Rabbi Asherov for advice was actress Orna Banai, who recently told Kan 11 that she did not get vaccinated, among other things due to what she heard from Rabbi Asherov.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has said that it is working to get Rabbi Asherov's videos and information removed, and that in the coming week, a new site will go live, debunking the myths and false claims about the coronavirus vaccine.

A representative for Rabbi Asherov responded: "The rabbi has many years of experience successfully treating thousands of patients with various conditions, by using natural healing. We will emphasize: The rabbi does not present himself as a doctor. However, most of his life has been dedicated to reading medical research, learning, and finding life-saving treatments. His words represent his opinion and rich professional experience, and are not intended as a substitute for medical advice."