Coronavirus in Israel

Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached Israel in February 2020, but has largely been regarded as one of the countries that has best handled the pandemic.

The 2019 coronavirus pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 novel virus, originated in Wuhan, China before rapidly spreading around the world.

COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease, with a high rate of transmissibility. Symptoms of infection include fever, joint and muscle aches, respiratory distress, loss of the sense of taste, cognitive fog, fatigue, sore throat, and more. Senior citizens are most at risk of dying from the disease, though secondary pre-existing conditions like obesity can make some patients more susceptible to danger. In severe cases, patients undergo respiratory distress and require intubation on ventilators.

Israel initiated lockdowns and quarantines early in the epidemic, as well as a tracking and testing system to find confirmed cases. Once a vaccination was developed by Pfizer, Israel was quick to secure a stockpile of doses for its population. Israel’s success in distributed its vaccinations throughout its citizenry earned it the moniker the “vacci-nation.” Israel was also the first state to mandate booster shots for the Pfizer vaccine. Israel remained the most vaccinated country for much of the early global rush of inoculations.

Israel was also one of the first countries to introduce a vaccine passport -- The Green Pass, which could be downloaded onto cellphones. Israel has also maintained at times the “Happy Pass” which allowed for limited celebratory events. Some have criticized the extent to which the government has exerted control over its population during the pandemic.

As of November 8, 6,249,400 Israelis have had three Pfizer coronavirus vaccine shots, 5,745,267 have had two, and 3,993,873 have had one shot. A total of 452,062 Israelis have been infected with COVID19, and a total of 8,124 have died from the virus.