Palestinians say they’ll get first vaccines in next two weeks

The Palestinians will receive their first shipment of coronavirus vaccines within the next two weeks, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry says.

According to the PA Health Ministry, the initial shipment will contain 100,000 vaccines for medical staff, at-risk groups, and Palestinian security forces. The Health Ministry does not specify which vaccine will be arriving. So far, Ramallah has yet to announce any official deals with countries or vaccine companies, although senior health officials have said that the PA government is negotiating with Russia, China, and the AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company, among others.

“The best vaccine is the one which reaches Palestine the fastest,” says Health Ministry spokesperson Dr. Kamal al-Shakhra.

— Aaron Boxerman