Palestinians push back vaccine rollout over delivery delay

The Palestinian Authority says it is pushing back the rollout of its coronavirus vaccination campaign due to a delay in deliveries.

The PA had previously said it was anticipating a shipment by the middle of this month, enabling it to start vaccinations for the general public in the West Bank while sharing stock with Hamas, the terror group that controls Gaza.

“There has been a delay in the arrival of the vaccine,” PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh says ahead of a weekly cabinet meeting, without providing further details.

He says the launch of vaccinations for the general public will be announced “at a later time,” when sufficient supplies arrive.

The PA is expecting some two million doses ordered from various manufacturers, in addition to vaccines from the UN-backed COVAX program, set up to help less wealthy nations procure vaccines.