The Health Ministry's Staff for the Management of Pandemics on Wednesday night recommended that children ages six months to five years be vaccinated against COVID-19.
In the Wednesday evening meeting, professional reviews were presented, following which a vote was held. All members of the staff believe that the vaccine has a high safety profile.
The staff voted unanimously to recommend that the Health Ministry's Director General, Professor Nachman Ash, approve the administration of the vaccine to children six months to five years of age.
The Director General will now examine the recommendation and issue a response as to whether the Ministry will issue guidelines on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has already begun the process of purchasing COVID-19 vaccines for young children from Pfizer-BioNTech, Kan 11 reported.
The Israel Pediatric Association recommends approving the vaccines for young children, though it respects any decision a parent makes regarding whether and when to vaccinate their children.
Meanwhile, coronvirus czar Professor Salman Zarka on Wednesday noted that there is a 300% rise in the number of coronavirus patients who are in serious and critical condition in hospitals.
"We have over 300 people hospitalized in serious condition," he said. "At the beginning of this month, we had less than 100."
"There is also a continued rise in the percentage and number of positive tests, but it is just the tip of the iceberg, because people are not coming in to test."