Israel starts vaccinating young children
Children 5 to 11 are included in Israel's immunization program with the goal of achieving the coveted immunity.
The Israel started vaccinations with the preparation of Pfizer / BioNtech against Covid-19 for 5-11 years now, hoping to put a brake on the recent increase in cases of coronavirus.
A fourth wave of infections hit Israel in June and began to subside in September. But in the last two weeks, the R index has started to rise and has now crossed the threshold, which indicates that the virus could spread exponentially again.
Daytime cases have also begun to rise in recent days, with half of the confirmed cases currently recorded among children aged 11 and under.
Israel's population of 9.4 million is relatively young, with about 1.2 million children in the 5-11 age group. As of November, that group accounted for more than a third of all new cases, according to the country's health ministry. Scientists and officials have questioned whether the country can achieve "herd immunity" unless children are vaccinated.
However, policymakers also point out that vaccinating younger children is primarily about protecting their individual health and not just stopping the spread of the virus.
Last week they stressed that although Covid-19 is rarely severe in young children and many do not show any symptoms, it can be dangerous in the long run.
The Israeli Ministry of Health estimates that one in 3,500 children infected with the new coronavirus will later develop Multisystem Inflammatory Childhood Syndrome. Most of the children suffering from this condition require hospitalization in an intensive care unit and 1-2% die.
