Smotrich bashes government over ‘failure’ of expiring vaccine stockpile

Religious Zionism MK Bezalel Smotrich  speaks during a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on July 5, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Religious Zionism MK Bezalel Smotrich speaks during a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on July 5, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Far-right Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich criticizes the new government and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over the upcoming expiration of Israel’s stock of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines at the end of the month.

Today was the last day for children ages 12-15 to get their first doses of the Pfizer vaccine, so they can get their second shot three weeks later before they expire. Anyone 16 and up will still be able to get the Moderna vaccine, which has not yet been approved for kids between 12-15.

“A serious failure of the new government and he who he leads it, adding to the failure at Ben Gurion Airport which is continuing to allow the entry of the Delta variant into Israel,” Smotrich tweets, noting today’s deadline came as Israel faces a resurgence in cases.

According to a Channel 12 report this evening, Israel is in advanced talks with Pfizer to move up the next scheduled shipment from September to August to allow for the vaccination of adolescents to continue.

If Israel is able to get additional Pfizer doses next month, more children will be able to get vaccinated before the start of the school year in September.

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