Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein announced tonight (Thursday, November 12, 2020) that the Health Ministry is expected to sign an official agreement with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer for the purchase of 8 million doses of a vaccine against COVID-19, which will provide relief for four million citizens (each vaccine to be divided into two doses).
Vaccinations will only be allowed following approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, and approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health. The company is expected to submit the application for this approval towards the end of November.
Delivery of the vaccine is set to begin in January, 2021, with additional supplies arriving during the remainder of the calendar year.
Collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Pfizer has greatly accelerated in recent days, with negotiations taking place in good spirits, leading to a breakthrough achievement for the State of Israel, which will be one of the first countries in the world to receive the promising vaccine.
"The purchase of the vaccine is a great development for Israeli citizens. The Ministry of Health is making every effort to purchase different vaccines so that each citizen gets the treatment. But until that happens we must continue following the Ministry's guidelines, and the government's lockdown exit plan. What we cannot do is become complacent," said Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein.
Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the expected arrival of the vaccine in Israel.
"I reported today in the Corona Cabinet that I spoke again last night with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. Together with the legal advisers of both parties, we removed the last obstacle to signing a contract with Pfizer for the supply of vaccines to Israel," said Netanyahu.
"We will get these vaccines alongside leading world powers. The delivery will begin in January and continue each month. We are exerting continued efforts to import additional vaccines from other companies to go along. The more, the better," asserted the Prime Minister.