Health Ministry issues recommendation for Moderna COVID vaccine

Israelis of all medical conditions and ages 12 years and older conditions – but especially those with chronic illness, the elderly, those with weak immune systems (due to any condition) and pregnant women – should go to their health fund to get the new vaccine against substrains of the COVID-19 virus. This is the new recommendation of the Health Ministry. 

Although many Israelis are tired of being vaccinated, they should remember that they got previous COVID-19 shots many months and even a couple years ago, and they have lost much of their protective value. 

Its epidemiology department sent instructions to the four health funds about available and recommendations for the shots against substrains of the Omicron variant. The ministry said it constantly monitors morbidity trends and Corona variants. 

“As of this moment, there is a moderate increase in the number of hospitalized patients, most of whom have mild cases, but there is also a moderate increase in the number of patients in serious condition as well as a very moderate increase in mortality from the virus. Both in Israel and in the world, there are a number of variants that cause illness, with the dominant variants in Israel being sub-varieties of Omicron. The vaccines that will arrive in Israel are manufactured by the Moderna company and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Phases of vaccination

In the first phase, after the holiday of Sukkot, those 12 years old and older will be able to be vaccinated, while in the first phase people in the risk group for severe illness from the virus will be preferred, regardless of the type of vaccine or the number of doses given in the past. After that, when an additional supply of vaccines arrives, the populations that can be vaccinated will be expanded.

The booster dose should be taken during the autumn, if possible, at the same time as receiving the flu shots. In the future and when additional vaccine shipments arrive, the populations that can be vaccinated will be increased. 

As a rule, the ministry said, the vaccines are approved for the entire population from the age of six months and older, regardless of the number of doses given in the past. One can get the new COVID-19 shot at the same time as other vaccines, including that against the flu, or at any time interval between the vaccines, except for the monkeypox vaccine, which should be given four weeks apart from other shots. 

Pregnant women can be vaccinated against COVID-19 at all stages of gestation and, at the same time, be vaccinated with a shot recommended for such women including the one against whooping cough or against the flu, at any time interval between vaccinations. In addition, breastfeeding women and women planning pregnancy can be vaccinated according to the guidelines.