H EADLINES
ISRAELBRIEFS Israel Begins Administering Fourth Coronavirus Shots
ISRAEL BEGAN ADMINISTERING a second booster shot to
citizens over 60 and to medical workers who received their fi rst
booster at least four months ago, JTA reported.

Prime Minister Naft ali Bennett said on Jan. 2 that the move
is a bid to protect vulnerable segments of the population against
the omicron variant.

“We’ve been fi rst in the world [with the] booster shots and
that policy has protected Israel’s citizens well,” Bennett said,
according to Th e Times of Israel.

In July, Israel became the world’s fi rst country to off er
residents a third coronavirus vaccine.

While the ability of a fourth coronavirus vaccination to boost
immunity is unproven, the question is being studied at Israel’s
Sheba Medical Center in a study of 6,000 people.

Some experts have criticized the move for getting ahead of the
data. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser,
said he would instead recommend focusing on third shots.

Scientists Worry About Avian Flu Killing Thousands of
Israeli Cranes, Possibly Spreading to Humans
As the omicron variant spreads across Israel, scientists are
worried about a new infectious disease threat: an avian fl u that
has killed thousands of wild birds migrating through Israel in
the past month, JTA reported.

Th e fl u has already spread to Israeli poultry farms.

Th ousands of crane carcasses from birds infected with the
disease were found at the Hula Lake Reserve in the north of
Israel. Th e government is killing off thousands of chickens to
stop the fl u from spreading unchecked through poultry farms —
and to reduce the chances of it jumping from birds to humans.

Amnon Lahad, chair of Israel’s National Council for
Community Health, said the spread of the avian fl u was “very
concerning,” but noted that avian fl us don’t tend to spread as
quickly among humans as the coronavirus.

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Israeli Startups Raise Record Amount in 2021
Israeli startups raised a record $25.6 billion during 2021 — an
increase of nearly 150% from 2020, Globes reported, citing
IVC-Research - Meitar law fi rm data.

Th e money was raised in 773 fi nancing rounds. Israeli startups
raised $8 billion in 206 deals in the fourth quarter of 2021 alone.

IVC - Meitar said it also was a record-setting year for Israeli
exits, which climbed to $22.2 billion, with near-equal shares of
IPOs and M&As. Th at included 75 IPOs, 23 occurring on Wall
Street. And 163 M&A deals totaled $12 billion.

Record Imports of Calves, Lambs Reported
A record 856,630 calves and lambs were imported to Israel for
fattening and slaughter in 2021, Th e Times of Israel reported,
citing Agriculture Ministry fi gures.

Th is was a 42% percent increase, compared with 2020 when
601,741 animals were brought to the country.

About 96,800 animals were transferred to the Palestinian
Authority, compared with 45,440 the previous year.

But seven bills to stop such live shipments within three
years have been proposed by lawmakers. In November 2018,
lawmakers greenlighted a bill to gradually reduce livestock
imports and to stop them completely within three years, moving
entirely to chilled meat imports. ●
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
JANUARY 6, 2022
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