Just 8% of Arab Israelis vaccinated, far lower than general population

Only 8 percent of Arab Israelis have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, as opposed to 22% in the general population, the Arab Emergency Committee reports in a new update.

Public health advocates differ over the causes of the low coronavirus vaccination rate. Some suggest that fake news and vaccine denialism has played a role in depressing turnout. Others say that vaccine accessibility is the main problem, charging that relatively few vaccination stations have been opened in Arab towns and cities.

The Committee — which receives its numbers from the Health Ministry — finds that 45.6% of Arab Israelis over the age of 60 have received a shot, in contrast to 72% in the country as a whole.

A Hadassah Medical Center staff member receives the second round of the COVID-19 vaccine in Jerusalem, January 11, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)