Israel’s COVID Green Pass was restricted on Sunday so that only people who have had a booster dose of vaccine or are recovering from coronavirus can enter indoor venues. Nearly 2 million people will lose the vaccination passport due to these new criteria. Israel is the first country that has made a booster shot mandatory for its digital vaccination passport. This move is widely regarded as an attempt to encourage booster vaccination for those who have not received a third dose. To be eligible for a green card, people must have had a booster shot. Passes will be valid for six months from the date of vaccination or recovery. To discuss restrictions and guidelines, the government’s coronavirus advisory cabinet was scheduled to meet Sunday. The rollout of the updated green card by the Health Ministry was hampered by technical problems. Millions of Israelis attempted to reissue digital documents that would allow them to enter shops, restaurants, cultural events, gyms, and other indoor venues. Numerous Israeli protestors marched through the country against the green pass system. Convoys of cars choked morning commutes after many Israelis returned from Sunday’s Jewish High Holidays. Opponents claimed that the green pass system is a form forced vaccination. Sarah Felt protested on the main highway linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, saying, “We are completely against any forced vaccinations, any forced medications, as well as any other forced vaccines.” After striking a deal to exchange medical data with Pfizer, Israel raced to the gates to vaccinate its entire adult population. Israel launched a vigorous booster campaign this summer to boost its vaccine efficacy. Nearly 60% of Israel’s 9.3 million inhabitants have been vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech. At least 2 million people have only received two doses of the vaccine, and many will lose their green pass privileges. In Israel, coronavirus cases have been on the rise in recent months. According to data from the Health Ministry, more than 70% of 588 coronavirus-related deaths in Israeli hospitals occurred on Sunday. Sunday morning, the ministry released a statement stating that previous certificates will be valid due to heavy traffic to its green pass app and website.
