'With God's Help, We Will Have a Vaccine Made Here in Israel': Human Trials of COVID Vaccine Begin in Holy Land

 JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel began the human trials of its coronavirus vaccine on Sunday. 

Two volunteers received the vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan and Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem. The volunteers, Segev Harel, 26, and Anar Ottolenghi, 34, will be hospitalized for 24 hours under close physician supervision. 

The vaccine is called “Brilife” and is being developed by the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz visited the Sheba Medical Center shortly after the vaccine was administered, along with Israel’s Deputy Health Minister and Health Ministry Director General.

“The true exit from the coronavirus crisis is in the development of vaccines. Therefore, this is a very important day, a day that gives a shot of encouragement,” said Netanyahu. “With God's help, we will have a vaccine made here in Israel. This is a very big thing.”

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Israel is slowly emerging from its second virus lockdown after seeing an increase in cases in September. 

“At the same time, we are working with the major pharmaceutical companies, through the Health Ministry, in order to bring vaccines here, and I personally am using my connections with world leaders so that we will be able to receive their production here, not at the end of the line but at the front,” Netanyahu added.

The premier also said he is supporting the Health Ministry’s efforts to set up a vaccine manufacturing plant in Israel.

Gantz called on Israelis to continue heading Health Ministry guidelines and cautioned that the vaccine development process will take some time. 

If the human vaccine trials are successful, testing will expand to 80 people throughout November. 

If they respond well to the vaccine by developing antibodies to the virus, the trials will expand to 960 people in December. If the trials continue to prove successful, then 30,000 people will test the vaccine in April or May 2021.