Israel, which suffered its fifth swine flu death on Friday, plans to offier a vaccine for the disease to the public by January 2010, JTA reported.
The $1.8 million deal with French company Sanofi Pasteur was agreed to after negotiations with a number of pharmaceutical companies, according to Israel's daily Ha'aretz. The government will pay for the H1N1 vaccine with special funds instead of taking money out of the existing budget for subsidized medicines. The contract also allows for Israel to reduce its order if it decides it does not need as much as originally planned.
Five Israelis have died from the disease, including a 50-year-old man with other chronic diseases who passed away Friday. Close to 2,000 people have been diagnosed with the flu, and it is believed as many as 20,000 Israelis have been infected with the virus.
Israel to get swine flu vaccine
