The Jewish CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, is scheduled to visit Israel on March 8, Channel 12 News reported.
Bourla’s trip comes as Israeli health officials warned on Sunday of a possible shortfall of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines in coming weeks as Pfizer’s shipments of 10 million vaccine doses (enough to vaccinate 5 million) are completed.
It’s possible that Bourla may bring additional vaccines with him, according to the report.
Vaccine clinics have been instructed to prioritize the hundreds of thousands of Pfizer vaccines arriving in the next two weeks for those who have already received the first dose of the vaccine.
Meanwhile, about 1.5 million Israelis have yet to be vaccinated at all. Israel is conducting discussions with Pfizer about purchasing an increased supply.
Shipments of Moderna vaccines are scheduled to arrive in Israel this week and next month but only in small quantities. Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said that some of the Moderna vaccines will be stored for vaccinating Palestinian workers who cross into Israel, and some will be used for vaccinating those who have already recovered from the virus.
Israel received a shipment of about 100,000 Moderna vaccine doses earlier this year.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
One Response
Pfizer probably wants Israel to continue administering two doses, while it’s in the best interest of the Israeli people to only give out one dose, across more people.