Israel expands vaccination campaign to all people above 16

A woman receives the COVID-19 vaccine at a health service center in Jerusalem on Feb. 3, 2021. Israel has decided to expand the COVID-19 vaccine campaign to the entire population over the age of 16, starting Thursday, the state's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua)

Israel has decided to expand the COVID-19 vaccine campaign to the entire population over the age of 16, starting Thursday, the state's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

The vaccination campaign in Israel began on Dec. 20, 2020, and was intended in the first phase for medical staff, people aged over 65, and chronic patients.

Since then, the vaccine eligibility age has been gradually reduced, and currently people aged 35 and over are being called to get vaccinated.

Israel has also recently begun operations to vaccinate all teachers and high school students over the age of 16.

So far, more than 3.23 million people have been vaccinated in Israel, or 34.7 percent of the country's population. Enditem

A woman receives the COVID-19 vaccine at a health service center in Jerusalem on Feb. 3, 2021. Israel has decided to expand the COVID-19 vaccine campaign to the entire population over the age of 16, starting Thursday, the state's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua)

A man receives the COVID-19 vaccine at a health service center in Jerusalem on Feb. 3, 2021. Israel has decided to expand the COVID-19 vaccine campaign to the entire population over the age of 16, starting Thursday, the state's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua)

A man receives the COVID-19 vaccine at a health service center in Jerusalem on Feb. 3, 2021. Israel has decided to expand the COVID-19 vaccine campaign to the entire population over the age of 16, starting Thursday, the state's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua)

-이스라엘에서 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 백신 접종이 시작되자 60세 이상 인구에서도 확진자와 발병이 감소하고 있는 것으로 나타났다.
특히 고령층과 백신 접종을 먼저 실시한 지역에서 감염자가 가장 크게 줄어든 것으로 드러났다.
이는 이스라엘의 봉쇄 조치뿐만 아니라 백신이 효과가 있음을 시사한다.