Israel and UK ‘in talks’ over COVID-19 vaccine swap
The deal would see Britain accept one million Pfizer doses that are due to expire at the end of July
Michael Daventry is Jewish News’s foreign and broadcast editor
Israel is in talks with Britain over a possible swap of COVID-19 vaccine stocks that would help the UK accelerate its inoculation programme for adults.
The agreement would see Israel send around a million of its Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines that are due to expire at the end of July.
Most adults in Israel have now received two jabs, whereas Britain has recently accelerated its programme to inoculate young adults under 30.
The UK would return an equivalent number of vaccines to Israel from a shipment it is expecting in September.
The Palestinian Authority recently pulled out of an agreement with Israel over its Pfizer vaccine stock citing an imminent expiry date.
News of the potential deal with the UK was first reported by Israel’s Channel 12 and the Times of Israel on Wednesday.
The television network said Israeli authorities were also asking Pfizer to clarify if the vaccines could still be used beyond their expiry date.
Israel is currently rolling out a vaccination programme for children aged 12-15, but would need to halt first jabs by July 9 to ensure everyone had their second one before the expiry date, Channel 12 reported.
The Jewish News has asked the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care for comment.
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