Elderly Israelis to receive third jab of Pfizer vaccine

• Pfizer said on Wednesday it believes people need a third dose to keep protection against the coronavirus high

• The company says it could apply for U.S. emergency authorization for booster shots as early as August 

Much before the US begins to administer a third jab of the Pfizer/Biontech Covid-19 vaccine, Israel will start to give the booster shot to people over 60, according to Israel’s Kan public radio and Channel 13 TV.

The campaign, a bid to fend off the coronavirus Delta variant, will effectively turn Israel into a testing ground for the booster before approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pfizer said on Wednesday it believes people need a third dose to keep protection against the coronavirus high. The company says it could apply for U.S. emergency authorization for booster shots as early as August. 

Kan and Channel 13 said the director-general of Israel’s health ministry informed the heads of health maintenance organization that have been administering the two-dose Pfizer vaccine that they could provide, as of Sunday, booster shots for people over the age of 60.

The ministry said earlier that it would make an official announcement about a booster campaign later in the day.