Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin netanyahu
Benjamin (Bibi) NetanyahuMORE compared obtaining a vaccine against COVID-19 with landing on the Moon on Saturday when he received his first inoculation in the country.
“It was a small blow for a man, a big step for the health of all of us. May he succeed. Get out and get vaccinated! Netanyahu remarked after his shooting, mimicking the words of American astronaut Neil Armstrong, Reuters reported.
In 1969, when Armstrong landed on the moon and planted his left foot on the surface, he declared, “This is a small step for man, a giant leap for humanity.”
Netanyahu also made references to the Bible Exodus book during treatment, telling reporters that he was offering “a strong hand and an outstretched arm” to the doctor who vaccinated him.
Israel began receiving shipments of Pfizer and BioNTech vaccines last week and is scheduled to receive orders for Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines soon.
The nation projects that it will have enough doses to vaccinate nearly 20 percent of its most at-risk populations before the end of the year, according to Reuters.
Netanyahu stated earlier this month that he wanted to receive the vaccine first to foster confidence in the vaccine among the people of the country.
“I hope that the citizens of Israel will be vaccinated and, to ensure this, I would like to serve as a personal example,” Netanyahu said at the time.
U.S. lawmakers and leaders have also been publicly vaccinated, urging the U.S. public to get the coronavirus vaccine when it is available to them.
Vice President Pence received a coronavirus vaccine on live television on Friday while wearing a mask.
“We are meeting here today at the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way,” Pence said in statements after receiving the vaccine.
He assured the public that while health and government officials “reduced bureaucracy” to expedite the distribution of the vaccine, “they did not cut corners.”
According to Reuters, Israel has reported nearly 372,400 cases of coronavirus and more than 3,000 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.