Over 1 million Israelis have received a third COVID vaccine dose, the government announced on Monday.

A few weeks ago Israel became the first country in the world to offer COVID booster shots, beginning with those over 60 and the immunocompromised. Last week, the shots became available to those over 50.

Israel has now vaccinated over half of the 1.9 million Israelis over the age of 50 who received the first two vaccine doses.

Preliminary Health Ministry data shows that Israelis who received the booster shot are 2.5 times more protected from COVID infection than those who received only the first two doses.

“A very nice achievement but not enough,” Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said. “Only if we continue to further immunize the vaccinated with the third dose and immunize citizens who have not been vaccinated at all will we get through the crisis without going into lockdown.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)