JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Some 250,000 Israelis have received the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the country began offering it to the elders and medical personnel a week ago, the prime minister said on Sunday.
"Almost a quarter of a million people have been vaccinated with the fourth booster," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in televised remarks at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting.
"This is an exceptional response that will prevent much severe morbidity and suffering," he added.
Also on Sunday, 5,000 doses of Merck's antiviral pills against COVID-19 arrived in Israel. Bennett said hospitals will use the pills for treating high-risk Omicron patients. In addition, Israel received the first batch of Pfizer's COVID-19 medicine last Thursday.
Israel has seen a surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the outbreak of the Omicron variant. The country of 9.45 million people reported 17,517 new cases on Sunday, according to the health ministry.
