According to a statement from the health ministry, over-60s, medical staff and those with a suppressed immune system will be eligible for a fourth dose provided four months have passed since their third dose.
The recommended gap between a second and third dose is also being shortened from five months to three months.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Benett welcomed the recommendation and encouraged citizens to get the shot as quickly as they could.
“Wonderful news, do not waste time — go get vaccinated,” he said in a Tuesday statement.
Benett also applauded Israel’s efforts in tackling the virus so far, saying that the country continues to “stand at the forefront of the global effort to deal with the pandemic.”
“The citizens of Israel were the first in the world to receive the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and we are continuing to pioneer with the fourth dose as well,” he said.
And so far, that’s been the case.
When it comes to Covid-19, it seems where Israel leads, the rest of the world follows, with the country offering other nations a glimpse into the pandemic’s future for nearly a year.
Israel has been at the forefront of vaccination rollouts for adults and teenagers, pioneered a vaccine passport and, in recent months, has spearheaded the use of booster shots.
At the end of July, the country began offering boosters of the vaccine to those over the age of 60; since late August, boosters have been available to anyone over the age of 16, five months after their second dose of the vaccine.
At the moment, a person is not considered fully vaccinated in Israel until they have received a third dose of the vaccine — once they are eligible.
More than three months on, Israeli health officials say the data is clear: Booster shots helped bring down the fourth wave of the virus that swept the country in August and September.
However, three doses appear to not be enough, with Tuesday’s announcement marking the throes of a fifth wave.
Israel’s daily Covid caseload rose above 1,000 for the first time in two months on Sunday, according to the Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the country’s R coefficient — the number of people infected by each person with Covid-19 — jumped to 1.22, its highest level since August.
In addition to the new recommendations, Bennett has also asked that Israelis take the new wave seriously, encouraging those employed in the private sector to work from home, with public sector workers expected to follow suit next week.
In a televised address this weekend, he also sought to reinvigorate Israel’s stalling vaccination campaign, especially among children, where takeup has been especially weak.
“The time we bought is running out,” said Bennett, but “with God’s help we will safely overcome this wave.”
