Israel starts human trials of experimental vaccine

Israel started human trials of an experimental coronavirus vaccine on Sunday, one of dozens of clinical trials underway worldwide.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein toured a hospital where a volunteer received the first dose of the vaccine.

Netanyahu said that through Israeli-developed vaccines or ones developed elsewhere around the globe, "we will bring enough vaccines for all Israeli citizens."

Israel's Institute for Biological Research said last week that clinical tests starting Nov. 1 would involve an initial group of 80 people.

The testing is slated to expand to a second phase of 960 people in December, with a third and final phase of 30,000 people next April or May depending on the results of the earlier phases.

Over 40 coronavirus vaccine candidates are in clinical trials worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

Israel, a country of about 9 million people, has reported over 314,000 cases of coronavirus and 2,541 deaths.