Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu becomes first Israeli to receive coronavirus vaccine
- Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said: ‘The vaccine is safe. Come and get inoculated’
- Israel is to begin widespread vaccinations on Sunday, with health workers first, and the elderly and carers next in line
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Israelis to overcome fear and scepticism of vaccinations as he became the first citizen to receive the coronavirus vaccine on Saturday, a day before the country officially rolls out its vaccination campaign.
“This is a very moving moment,” Netanyahu said, adding businesses would soon be able to resume work and people able to earn a living as before.
The 71-year-old, who called the worldwide coronavirus outbreak “the toughest pandemic that humankind has faced in the past 100 years,” said he wished to set a personal example for the Israeli public.
The arrival of the Pfizer vaccine, and later on, the one from Moderna, marked “the beginning of the end.”
“We can get out of this together,” Netanyahu told reporters at a hospital east of Tel Aviv.
With the procedure at Sheba Medical Centre over, Netanyahu paraphrased astronaut Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon: “That was a small jab for a man, a huge step for the health of us all. May this be this successful. Go out and get vaccinated!”