How Did Israel Top the Vaccine Race? Published January 6th, 2021 - 11:23 GMT Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives a coronavirus vaccine, from his personal physician Dr. Tzvi Berkovitz, at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, on December 19, 2020, becoming the first Israeli to get the vaccine. (Amir Cohen/Pool/AFP) Highlights Some 1.4million Israelis have already received a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at mass vaccination centres. Israel has leapt ahead in the global vaccine race by squeezing every last dose out of its vaccine supplies and using its efficient health system to launch a 24/7 immunisation drive with military help - marked by Benjamin Netanyahu making himself as visible as possible as he bids for re-election in March.