
The government's Council for Managing Pandemics met today to discuss the possibility of vaccination for children from five to eleven years of age. Council chairman Boaz Lev opened the meeting with an address to all present.
"We decided to wait for the opinion of such influential bodies like the FDA and the CDC," Dr. Lev explained. "Now that they have recommended it, we can begin to discuss it ourselves."
Dr. Lev noted that the council is made up of experts in many fields, and is expected to advise all of Israel's most important institutions.
"We will accept nothing but the scientific truth" he emphasized. "Each of us will give the most professional and factual assessment of the situation and study the facts with an open mind before reaching our decision."
"We have decided to make this debate transparent to the public, including all data upon which it will be based. We are sorry that the public discourse surrounding this issue has become so polarized, and hope that this transparency helps to resolve the matter."
"COVID-19 is a new, dynamic, and painful challenge for us all. We will need to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty, and are committed to both the public's health and safety on one hand and on the other to create a firm strategy with which to proceed." Dr. Lev added.
"It is important to note that the Pfizer study was not conducted in Israel and none of those on the council have benefitted from it in any way save that they have made it possible for this matter to be debated at all."