Israel throws away $ 1.8m worth of coronavirus vaccines

The Israeli government will throw around 80,000 vaccines against the coronavirus for a value of just over $ 1.8 million because they have reached their expiration date and the laboratory that made them did not authorize the extension.

According to the local press, reproduced by the AJN agency, the doses expire this Sunday July 31 and they must be to reach the expiration date, Local Channel 12 reported.

According to the report, the pharmacist who manufactured the doses did not authorize the extension of the expiration date and they will end on July 31 of this year, so they must be removed from the available stock to inoculate the population.

To date, the greatest number of vaccines that had to be thrown away was around a thousand. However, according to a health policy expert It is not a question of “negligence” since “in the management of a pandemic it is better to have a surplus of vaccines than a lack”.

The Ministry of Health for its part communicated: “The State of Israel manages its vaccine stock while prioritizing the expiry of the product which is very precious since it saves lives and is in turn desired by many countries around the world. Confidentiality agreements have been signed and the exact quantities of vaccines cannot be disclosed ”.

The health portfolio, in turn, analyzes the measures to be taken against the epidemic caused by the Delta strain in the country and adjusts the details for the start of the campaign for the application of the third dose of the vaccine against the coronavirus. .

The government analyzes new measures

In addition, the government is responding to the need to impose more restrictions on those returning from overseas, as well as mandatory quarantine for those who have taken a few days off overseas in order to avoid increased costs. case.

In this context, it is possible that the list of “dangerous countries” and the obligation to comply with quarantine for those entering through the airport will be expanded. The measure would not distinguish between vaccinated, released and uninoculated with the Pfizer formula. The health ministry prefers compulsory confinement for everyone for seven days, the Israeli channel 12 reported.

Even those who have visited so-called “green” countries, that is to say without risk to health, must respect a 24-hour quarantine. It is also designed to reduce the list of prohibited destinations to the minimum possible.