The first shipment of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine arrived in Israel Thursday afternoon. The shipment includes 100,000 doses of the vaccine
The Moderna vaccine is similar to the Pfizer vaccine which Israel has used inoculate its population for the last month. Both vaccines use messenger RNA (MRNA) and require two doses to reach their full effectiveness.
Israel is currently the world leader in vaccine doses provided per capita, with about 1.5 million citizens having received the first dose of the vaccine. However, the morbidity rate of the coronavirus in Israel continues to rise, prompting the government to declare a new lockdown beginning tonight at midnight.
Under the new lockdown, which will last for two weeks, the entire school system will be closed, along with all nonessential businesses.
Israel has reached an agreement with Moderna for 6 million vaccine doses.