The expert committee of the Ministry of Health on Thursday recommended that a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine be administered to people aged 50 and over and to medical staff, as well as to prisoners, wardens and people with background illnesses regardless of age.

The Clalit Health Fund has already announced that it will offer the third dose of the vaccine to people aged 50 and over starting Sunday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called on HMOs to prepare for vaccination in other age groups.

Bennett's intention is to gradually expand the eligibility for a third vaccine to those aged 40 or 45 or older.

Meanwhile, 4,048 Israelis were diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 since midnight. A total of about 85,000 tests were performed, and the positive rate, which does not include tests for recovering patients, is 5.03%.

760 patients are hospitalized in hospitals around the country - 445 of them in serious condition. There has also been an increase in the number of people on ventilators, with 72 patients connected to ventilators as of Thursday evening.

The data show that about 38,300 Israelis received the third dose on Thursday and a total of about 755,000 Israelis were vaccinated with three vaccine doses.