US To Provide Israel With COVID-19 Vaccine - Israeli Finance Minister

Israeli Finance Minister Israel Katz has met with US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and asked his US counterpart to supply the COVID-19 vaccine to Israel as soon as the US receives it, Katz said on Wednesday as quoted by his adviser Zina Roitman

TEL AVIV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2020) Israeli Finance Minister Israel Katz has met with US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and asked his US counterpart to supply the COVID-19 vaccine to Israel as soon as the US receives it, Katz said on Wednesday as quoted by his adviser Zina Roitman.

"I have asked my American counterpart to undertake efforts to provide Israel with the COVID-19 vaccine immediately after the Americans get it. Mnuchin, who is a great friend of Israel, has promised to assist in this matter," the minister said.

Katz added that "the adoption of the vaccine will be an important event for the Jewish state. It will have positive effect on the social security of Israeli people and Israel's economy.

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The parties also discussed the development of the economic situation in Israel and changes in the global economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the World Health Organization, 303,743 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Israel with 2,259 deaths. The Israeli authorities imposed a second lockdown on September 18, a measure that allowed the government to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the country. On October 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that, with the pandemic on the decline, the country would gradually ease the restrictions.