Hospital staff provide medical care for patients at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) ward, amid a surge in new cases that has forced Israel into a second nationwide lockdown, at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov), Tel Aviv, Israel, Sept. 21, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.

i24 News – Israeli health officials estimate that the Jewish state could be the first country in the world to vaccinate its entire at-risk population as it readies to launch its inoculation drive later Saturday evening.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli to receive the vaccine on Saturday, followed by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein.

President Reuven Rivlin was vaccinated on Sunday, and the country’s hospital staff and health professionals will come next.

From Monday, the elderly and at-risk population will be able to be vaccinated at their local HMO after setting an appointment with their doctor.

According to Channel 12, Israel may be the first country in the world to complete a nation-wide immunization of all of its at-risk population.

This is due to the relatively small population of the country, which currently stands at just over nine million, compared to the high ratio of vaccines per capita that it already has on hand and is expected to receive in the coming weeks.

Edelstein told Channel 12 that Israel could complete the first round of vaccinations for those at risk in about two weeks.

They will then have to return for a second injection 21 days later, which means Israel could complete immunization of its at-risk populations by the end of January.