Israel: Vaccine Campaign Slowing Because of Misinformation

Israel is blaming online misinformation for a sudden slowdown in its vaccination¹ campaign. The slowdown comes at a time when many countries are studying the Israeli experience to understand what may lie ahead.

Israel's vaccination rates are currently among the highest in the world. The country's Ministry² of Health is leading its vaccination efforts. The health ministry has been using both warnings and incentives⁴ as it tries to get more people to get immunized.

"Decide whether you are part of the celebration or whether you will be left behind," Health Minister Yuli Edelstein wrote on Twitter.

The Health Ministry has increased the number of employees who follow false claims about the vaccines⁶. They look at anti-vaccination messages in Hebrew, Russian, Amharic, Arabic and English.

At the same time, local governments are turning to DJs and free food to get more people to come to vaccination centers. People who have not been vaccinated⁷ could soon be barred from concerts and museums.

Over 25 percent of the population has received both injections of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine⁵. In addition, over 42 percent have received the first injection, said the Health Ministry. The vaccination campaign started in December.

Vaccinations⁸ slowing

However, Israel's vaccination rate has slowed since making the vaccine available to everyone over the age of 16. In February, Israel averaged just over 106,000 vaccinations each day. But, the health ministry recently said that January's daily average was more than 127,000.

In addition, infection rates remain high in Israel, probably because some groups refuse to be vaccinated. Different groups in the country are not taking the vaccines for different reasons. For example, younger Israelis often think they cannot get seriously sick. Some important ultra-Orthodox religious leaders have called on their followers⁹ to refuse vaccination. Also, some in Israel's Arab minority do not have complete trust in the country's Jewish leadership.

Israel, a country of 9.3 million people, has reported over 5,000 new cases each day over the past week, the health ministry said. The country has recorded over 723,000 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the crisis and nearly 5,400 deaths. Over 20 percent of the deaths were in the past month.

Last week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the only barrier to the vaccine campaign was "the fake news and the superstitious¹⁰...beliefs that are planted in the public and on the internet." Superstitious is a term that describes beliefs that are based in impossible powers or influences.

The Ministry of Health has reportedly spent millions of dollars in its efforts to educate the public. Official Einav Shimron said the ministry is working with doctors and religious leaders to increase efforts against misinformation.

Words in This Story

incentive³ – n. something that encourages a person to do something or to work harder

DJ -- n. a disc jockey, a person who plays recorded music on the radio or at a party or nightclub

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public

fake – adj. false, not true or not what is presents itself as

1 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

4 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

6 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

7 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

8 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

10 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。