Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to drum up support for the programme, the Justice Ministry said on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday became the
first person to be vaccinated in Israel. Opinion polls show some two-thirds of
the public want to follow suit.
The Justice Ministry said that, at its request, Facebook
took down four groups at the weekend that had disseminated texts, photographs
and videos with "deliberately mendacious content designed to mislead about
coronavirus vaccines".
Such "fake news" included arguments that vaccines
would be used to plant government tracking chips in recipients' bodies, to
poison them and thus cull the population or to subject them to medical
experimentation, the ministry said in a statement.
Israeli officials say the country has enough vaccines on
order by year's end to protect the most vulnerable 20% of the population and
then lift some coronavirus curbs, but worry that turnout might be dampened if
people get false information about the innoculations.
Israel began administering vaccines to medical staff on
Sunday. At Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, dozens of doctors and nurses
danced as they prepared to receive their injections.
Next in line are elderly Israelis or those in high-risk
groups. The wider adult population is slated to get shots in early 2021.
With a population of 9 million, Israel has logged 373,368
coronavirus cases and 3,074 deaths. It has imposed two national lockdowns and
is mulling new curbs on high-contagion areas.
Reuters
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