A teenager receives a dose of a vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as Israel urged more 12- to 15-year-olds to be vaccinated, citing new outbreaks attributed to the more infectious Delta variant, at a Clalit healthcare maintenance organisation in Tel Aviv, Israel June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The Israeli government is set to establish a team to examine the possibility of building a vaccine factory in Israel.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz will submit a formal proposal to the cabinet on the issue on Sunday.

“We are working around the clock, in various ways, to protect the health of the citizens of Israel,” Bennett commented. “The independent ability to produce vaccines in Israel is likely to be dramatic, especially looking toward the future and future pandemics. The professional teams will evaluate this and we will make a decision soon.”

Once established, the team will examine the best way to build a vaccine plant that would produce medicines while giving preference to vaccines that would also be marketed commercially.

The team will be headed by the Finance Ministry Accountant General, and will include representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Finance Ministry Budget Department, the National Economic Council, and the Health Ministry.

A steering committee will also be established to coordinate with other countries that may be interested in collaborating with Israel on research and development and the manufacturing of vaccines.