In Israel, children from the age of 16 are vaccinated, but intensive studies are currently underway to develop a safe vaccine for children under the age of 16 as well.

And this week, the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that even younger children will start being vaccinated at the end of the year.  

- We are preparing for another round of vaccinations in six months.

So prepare your arms and your children as well.

We estimate that the vaccine will be approved for children then.  

Israel was one of the first countries in the world to succeed in vaccinating the majority of its citizens.

Among the country's nine million inhabitants, five million have received a syringe.  

- When it comes to the eligible groups, ie those over 16, 80 percent of the population is covered, says Ran Balicer, chairman of the Corona Commission in Israel. 

The vaccination has been fast 

The fact that vaccination has been so fast is partly due to the country's digitalised health care, and that Israel is used to crises.

There is simply a high level of preparedness.  

Israel has now begun to reopen after tough closures and restrictions, but for it to be completely as usual, children must also be vaccinated.  

- To achieve herd immunity, 80 percent of the inhabitants must be immune.

It is not possible without vaccinating the children, says Ran Balicer.  

Concerns in the Afenjar family 

The Afenjar family on the outskirts of Tel Aviv are also considering what happens when the vaccine becomes available to the younger ones.

12-year-old daughter Mika Afenjar is a little hesitant. 

- My friends do not want to get vaccinated because there may be side effects. 

Even for the rest of the family, it is not an easy choice.  

- Mika should be vaccinated.

I do not feel happy about it, but I feel that there is no choice.

Getting sick is a risk, but also being vaccinated.

I can only hope that the research is right about the risks, says mother Sonja Metzger Afenjar.

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There was great joy in Tel Aviv when Israel began to reopen after the corona pandemic.

Photo: Ami Shamir

Watch The World of Science "The Vaccine and the Mutations" on Monday 26 April at 20.00 on SVT2 and on SVTPlay.