Over 82% of doctors pledge to get vaccinated - survey

A survey conducted this week found that more than 82% of 1,132 participating doctors will take the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available to them. Medical staff are set to receive vaccinations on Sunday. Zeev Feldman, president of the Israel Medical Association (IMA), and director of Pediatric Neurosurgery Department at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, said, 'The vaccination of doctors and medical staff against the coronavirus has direct and meaningful implication on the vaccination of all the citizens of Israel in the ultimate victory over the disease. 'The public will, as it did at every stage of the pandemic, turn to the medical world for guidance; they expect them to be the first to get vaccinated,' he added. The Pfizer vaccine has a proven 95% efficacy and experienced a speedy approval by the US Food and Drug Administration. The survey was conducted on behalf of the IMA after Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the FDA. In total, there are 7,681 medical professionals who belong to the IMA. In the survey, 937, or 82% of doctors chose 'I am planning to vaccinate against the coronavirus' as their answer, in contrast to 48, or 4% who answered that they wouldn't. 'I am certain that, when push comes to shove, and a vaccine is readily offered, even those who are on the fence will take it,' said Feldman. Almost 13% out of those asked in the survey, or 147 doctors, said they are still debating taking the vaccine. After infection numbers rose drastically over the last few days, the government said it is considering another lockdown, and will make the final decision in a coronavirus cabinet meeting on Sunday. Cases have surpassed 2,500 per day, the marker number outlined by the government to roll out a policy of tighter restraints. The IMA is an organization that represents approximately 95% of physicians in Israel, ranging across all stages of the medical career and fields of expertise. They provide members with various benefits, like access to consulting and discounts on necessary textbooks. Perhaps most importantly, they have a legal department that advises on a variety of topics. 'We are coming to this vaccine with the understanding and hope that it will end this cursed pandemic,' said Feldman. 'We have seen the terrible price that humanity had to pay for it, the critical patients, their accompanying families. We are determined to end this. The only way to do that is to vaccinate.'

Over 82% of doctors pledge to get vaccinated - survey

"We are determined to end this. The only way to do that is to vaccinate," said Zeev Feldman.

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