Vaccine hesitancy is mostly connected to socio-economic inequalities, a report by the Health Ministry released on Monday showed.
The findings on a study conducted on the 1.08 million Israelis who have not yet vaccinated against the coronavirus in spite of being eligible revealed that in the majority of cases they live in areas considered at the periphery of the country with scarce access to public services or present a low level of education and income.
“The rich get vaccinated more, the weaker sectors of the populations much less,” Health Ministry Horowitz said while launching a new vaccination campaign to reach individuals in the socio-economic or geographic periphery. “I will not give up on these groups, not under my tenure.”
In the coming weeks, the ‘Intensive Vaccine Care’ mobile units operated by the Magen David Adom will be sent across towns and neighborhoods with a low inoculation level to offer those in need the opportunity to get the jab in their community.
“There is a clear correlation between socioeconomic status and response to vaccines,” Horowitz further said while visiting Kfar Qassem. “The weaker the community, the less the public is vaccinated. This is a historical example of the essential importance of reducing disparities and increase mutual responsibility, as well as how dangerous inequality is. The social gaps hurt the weak, and by doing so they also hurt each of us. This is true for corona, and it has taken a toll on our life as a society and as a country.”
Of those who haven’t gotten vaccinated, some 16% live in ultra-Orthodox cities, 32% in Arab cities and 53% in mixed cities (and include also residents that identify with the ultra-Orthodox or the Arab sector).
The report by the Health Ministry focused on the unvaccinated in the general society, in the ultra-Orthodox sector and in the Arab sector.
In the general society, according to the document, most people are characterized by either a low socio-economic status, a low level of trust in the establishment or the inability to speak good Hebrew.
In the Arab sector, most people are young and the level of vaccination is especially low in east Jerusalem and in Bedouin villages – some of which have vaccination rate lower than 25%.
Regarding the ultra-Orthodox, different communities – Hassidim, Lithunians, Sefardi haredim and so on - have responded to the call for inoculation in different ways. Many have chosen not to get vaccinated because they believe they were exposed to the virus and therefore have developed antibodies anyway.
“Our campaign will bring vaccines all the way to people's homes in these less developed areas with the cooperation of community leaders,” Horowitz said. “This could be the tie breaker.”
“The only way to beat this pandemic is to reach three million people vaccinated with a third shot,” he added.
Tal Spungin contributed to this report.