Despite data submitted by Israel’s Health Ministry, the FDA did not implement their recommendation to vaccinate everyone 12-years-old and older with the Covid booster.

A US panel decided initially to only Covid vaccination booster shots to Americans over 65 or at high risk only. And despite the FDA rejecting Israel’s data on the booster, the Israeli Health Ministry tried to spin the rejection as a positive claiming that it actually validated their decision to offer third shots to all aged 12 and over saying: “With the FDA board’s unanimous decision to give boosters to those over 65 and at risk, as well as for health workers — precisely as we started doing here — the FDA has validated the booster initiative launched in Israel,” the ministry said.

Instead of re-examining why the FDA rejected Israel’s assessment, a senior ministry official told Ynet news that Israel was concerned that the FDA’s decision would undermine its booster program that has now boasted more than 3 million Israelis getting their third inoculation.

“Can people who decide against getting the third shot because of FDA recommendations challenge our Green Passport policy?” the official quipped, anticipating legal challenges to the third shot mandate, six months following the first two, to qualify for the pass.”

The vote on Friday was the initial step. The FDA is expected to decide on boosters in the coming days, however, it often arrives after recommendations made by the committee. The booster shots are also subject to approval by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).