Low vaccination rates in Arab sector raise concerns of enormous outbreak during Ramadan, wedding season
By: A7 Staff
Israel’s Health Ministry and Israeli-Arab leaders are concerned about the possible effects of the wedding season–due to begin mid-March for Arabs–followed within the month by the holiday of Ramadan, Israel Hayom reported.
Part of the concern is due to the fact that the number of Israelis who received the coronavirus vaccine is very low relative to their numbers in the population–despite concentrated efforts to increase education on the issue.
Last year, weddings and large family gatherings in the Arab sector caused a serious outbreak among the population.
Dr. Masad Barhoum, General Director Galilee Medical Center, said: “We all remember what happened last time, when weddings were held in the sector. This time, the British variant and additional mutations have also entered the equation.
A senior source in the Coronavirus Directorate for the Arab Sector told Israel Hayom that the preparations for the possibility of an additional outbreak within the Arab sector are not enough: “We see what’s happening in East Jerusalem. The outbreak there is so bad that we allowed the Palestinian Authority to join the efforts to convince residents to go to their health funds and get vaccinated.”
“The renewal of the wedding season is greatly worrying us, as is the month of Ramadan, which begins at the end of April. We are greatly concerned about the low percentage of vaccinated individuals in the sector and the possibility of a steep rise in the number of children who will be infected and become ill due to the British mutation and additional coronavirus mutations.”
The source added: “We are preparing for the wedding season and the month of Ramadan, which are at our doorstep, but what has been done is not enough. We must cause the Arab sector to go and get vaccinated–it is the only way to stop a renewed outbreak of the coronavirus plague.”
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Monday praised Israeli health officials for calling on the government to work to vaccinate all Palestinian Arabs.
Sanders tweeted a link to an NPR article entitled “Israeli Health Officials To Government: Vaccinate All Palestinians” and wrote, “I applaud the Israeli health officials for their efforts. Making sure all Palestinians receive vaccines is the right thing to do from both a public health and moral perspective. I hope the Israeli government follows their advice as quickly as possible.”
Monday’s tweet comes days after Sanders blasted Israel for providing some of its excess COVID-19 vaccine to other countries while failing to vaccinate Palestinian Arabs.
(INN)
