Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Channel 12 News on Monday that he is negotiating with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer on setting up production in Israel.
“I am negotiating with them to build two factories in Israel - making us a global center in the fight against COVID-19,” Netanyahu said in an interview with anchor Yonit Levi.
"The Moderna complex will be a center for filling vaccine vials, while Pfizer's will work as a research and development site for the fight against future viruses," he added.
Netanyahu also said in the interview that Israel can finally emerge from the coronavirus crisis if the last 570,000 citizens over the age of 50 who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus do so quickly.
“That is where the fatalities are, nearly 100 percent, that’s where the seriously ill are, nearly 100%, When they go to the hospitals they block them for others, so the young start to get ill and some die," he said.
When asked if there could be yet another lockdown, Netanyahu replied, "It depends on the public. I believe that if the citizens of Israel are disciplined and most of them are and we will take the easing steps gradually as we have determined, but we will overcome the coronavirus completely.”
“We need the utmost national effort to vaccinate these [last] 570,000 people. Go get vaccinated, not just for your health but for all of our health. When they’re vaccinated, there’ll be no more need for lockdowns,” he added.