Israel approves 4th Covid vaccine shot for people over 60, says PM Bennett

Israel has approved a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose for people over 60 years old and medical staff, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday.

In a televised press conference, Bennett said that the fourth dose of the vaccine, developed by Pfizer, was approved by the country's Health Ministry for people over 60 and medical personnel who received the third dose at least four months ago.

He said that the additional booster would provide Israelis "a new layer of defence."

Bennett urged the elders to get the booster shot, warning that Israel is on the verge of another surge in morbidity due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

The country is likely "to see as many as 50,000 new coronavirus cases," Bennett said.On Thursday, Israel approved the fourth vaccine shot for immune-compromised people and the elderly living in care homes, becoming one of the first countries to offer that booster.

Some 70 per cent of Israel's 9.45 million population have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and about 45 per cent of the Israelis have received all three doses, according to figures issued on Sunday by the Health Ministry.