Professor Itamar Grotto
Professor Itamar GrottoFlash 90

Former Health Ministry Director General Professor Itamar Grotto cast doubt on whether Israelis will soon need a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

In an interview with Galei Zahal, Prof. Grotto said: "It's not certain that we will need a third vaccine soon. Information is mounting showing that the vaccine is effective long-term. And in general, the number one principle in medicine is 'do no harm.'"

Regarding the possibility of ending flights from India due to the high infection rate in that country, Grotto said: "I would allow Israelis in India to return to their homeland."

"Our obligation as a state is to bring them home, and their obligation as citizens is to keep the quarantine," he added.

On Sunday, coronavirus czar Professor Nachman Ash said he believes that it is "very likely" that Israelis will need a third dose of the vaccine.

"Every day we’re getting closer to it, but we still don’t know when," Prof. Ash told 103 FM Radio on Sunday. "The chance that this vaccine is good for many years is apparently not high, both because immunity decreases and because of the mutations."