In this week's episode, we hear from two of Israel's top COVID experts about vaccines, the new omicron variant and medications against the virus. Our guest in the studio, Dr. Oren Kobiler of Tel Aviv University, explains how the new variant arrived, and says that while we should take it seriously,  there is "no need to panic." We ask him if vaccines will hold the line against this mutation, and seek his views on shutting Israel's border to tourists. 

In the second part of the episode, we bring you a 10-minute segment from an exclusive Haaretz briefing with Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, the top public health official in the Israeli Health Ministry. She tells us why she just vaccinated two of her children, and explains that vaccinating 5 to 11 year-olds isn't about controlling the pandemic, "it's about protecting the kids." The full briefing can be watched here.  

In this week's episode, we hear from two of Israel's top COVID experts about vaccines, the new omicron variant and medications against the virus. Our guest in the studio, Dr. Oren Kobiler of Tel Aviv University, explains how the new variant arrived, and says that while we should take it seriously, &nbsp;there is "no need to panic." We ask him if vaccines will hold the line against this mutation, and seek his views on <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/we-came-to-comfort-a-bereaved-family-in-israel-and-were-treated-like-criminals-1.10421888">shutting Israel's </a>border to tourists.&nbsp;
In the second part of the episode, we bring you a 10-minute segment from an exclusive Haaretz briefing with Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, the top public health official in the Israeli Health Ministry. She tells us why she just vaccinated two of her children, and explains that vaccinating 5 to 11 year-olds isn't about controlling the pandemic, "it's about protecting the kids." The full briefing can be <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/omicron-covid-variant-israel-booster-vaccine-top-covid-expert-answers-questions-1.10415577">watched here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

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