- Yeah, so we got a tip from a friend
that there is vaccines here
in the (speaking foreign language)
and they're vaccinating people under 50.
So we thought to give it a try.
- [Dov Lieber] These young and middle-aged people
don't have an appointment but they've come to this clinic
in Tel Aviv hoping to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
- I was really nervous to get vaccinated.
And we got it.
- While in most countries around the world,
you have to be part of a priority group to be vaccinated.
Israeli clinics have been giving out any remaining doses
to the general public after the day scheduled appointments
end for priority patients.
This strategy is one of the reasons Israel vaccinated
a greater share of its population than any of the country.
More than 20% in just a few weeks,
way ahead of the U.S. and European countries
that also have much larger populations.
The country hopes to immunize a majority
of its population by early spring.
- Right now what we see is a race.
On one hand, we have the virus spread
spiraling out of control.
On the other hand, we have the vaccination campaign
going very quickly.
- [Dov Lieber] Weeks after the program started
demand was so high, some clinics had no extra doses left
at the end of the day and sometimes turned people away.
(speaking foreign language)
- It's always good to try your chances.
And that's why I hopeful.
But sometimes you get unlucky but there's always a tomorrow.
- [Dov Lieber] We wanted to know
how does Israel's program work exactly.
(speaking foreign language)
Netanyahu announced that Israel had secured enough doses
of the Pfizer BioNTech shot to vaccinate everyone over 16
by the end of March.
Although this max vaccination campaign alone is unlikely
to eradicate the virus, this timeline sets Israel apart
as other Western nations have fallen behind schedule.
In the U.S. the vaccination of the elderly
and essential workers alone
is expected to take several more weeks.
One reason Israel has been able to vaccinate so much
of his population so quickly, is that it's a relatively
small country with a population
similar to that of New York city.
Israel has transformed stadiums and other venues
into mass vaccination centers.
Israel also has a technologically advanced
universal healthcare system in which everyone in the country
is legally required to be registered unlike the U.S.
where there's a patrick of public and private coverage.
Israel's digitized system has helped streamline the process
for those who have an appointment, including high risk
and priority patients over 60.
- Every member set an appointment in advance
and it's already scheduled for two appointments.
For the first dose and the second dose 21 days later.
Now he comes here in the exact time and hour
that we asked him to come, he uses his card
and pulls out a number and then someone will take him
to one of the stations.
And in the station, the nurse will document everything.
His name, his ID and the number of the bottle.
And even in which of the arms
he is going to get the vaccination.
And then she will do the vaccination and he will wait
for about 15 minutes at the other side of this compound.
- At the start of the vaccination campaign,
Israel's program ran into big issues and many vaccine vials
had to be thrown away.
Israel bought 8 million doses from Pfizer,
paying a premium for early shipments.
As well as 6 million vaccines for Moderna
and 10 million from AstraZeneca.
When the Pfizer vaccine first arrived in Israel,
hundreds of doses had to be dumped
due to lower than expected turnout.
That's because the BioNTech Pfizer vaccine
must be administered within five days
after leaving the main storage facility
where it must be kept at ultra cold temperatures
as low as minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit.
After the vaccine dump, authorities began dividing some
vaccine packages into smaller shipments for more
isolated areas making for more efficient distribution.
Professor Balicer is the Chief Innovation Officer
for Clarit, Israel's those largest healthcare organization.
And he's helped advise the Israeli government
on his vaccine strategy.
- We have given the full permission to every delivery point.
Once they get to the point in which the tray of vials
is about to become need for the destruction
because of the time limits and the cold chain requirements,
they are not only allowed, we want them to go ahead,
find anyone, bring them in and put a shot in the arm.
So no vaccine would go to waste.
- [Dov Lieber] The vaccines are now in high demand
and thanks to the latest shipment of vaccines,
the country set to start opening up new appointments
to even more people.
- I think one of the key challenges we have right now
is we have no means to get vaccines to the houses of people
who are bedridden and cannot leave their home.
What we've tried to do until now was to vaccinate
their key caregivers.
- [Dov Lieber] The vaccination program comes
at a critical time for Israel, which early in 2021
had one of the world's highest infection rates
and fatalities were on the rise
as it entered a third lockdown.
There's also the challenge of vaccine acceptance
with ongoing skepticism over the shots
and government initiatives in some parts of the population.
Still here in Tel Aviv, many people have shown up
hoping to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
- I came here tonight to try and to get the vaccine
for the COVID.
And I want to travel, see world and starting my life
like I wanted to and not to stay out in quarantine
in my house.
(soft upbeat music)