Israel is providing a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults, which appears to be effective in preventing severe disease and hospitalization.

Israel is the first country to provide a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine to its adult population, and “what we’re seeing is a stabilization in the number of severe cases,” Bar-Ilan University immunotherapy expert Prof. Cyrille Cohen told i24 News in an interview.

“So, it is much better than what we experienced in the past few weeks. This is great news,” he said.

The immediate challenges, however, include a return to school this week and the upcoming High Holidays, which are “kind of threatening,” Cohen added.

There are “some unknowns,” he acknowledged, saying he could not make any prediction at this point on future vaccinations and offering advice to the public.

“Let’s hope for the best,” he concluded.