Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing: Your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Today’s panel comprises Times of Israel senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and health reporter Nathan Jeffay, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

We begin today's episode with a discussion of the sad case of mother-of-four Osnat Ben Shitrit, who died from the coronavirus Saturday night, along with her 30-week fetus. 

Jeffay then apprises us of new research and explains just what some of the headline's statistics mean. 

We turn to a "joke" made by Weekend Update co-host Michael Che on this week's Saturday Night Live that not all (or many?) are finding funny.

And finally, we hear a few tidbits from everybody's favorite bubbe, Effie Hertzke, who won hearts -- and chuckles -- during her interview on Sunday with top Israeli anchor Raffi Reshef.

Discussed articles include:

Pregnant 32-year-old woman and her fetus die of COVID at Jerusalem hospital

Death of mother, fetus highlights sharp rise in COVID infections among pregnant

Israeli study: 75% protection from 1st Pfizer vaccine dose, so okay to delay 2nd

US study suggests efficacy of 1st Pfizer, Moderna shot increases with time

Health Ministry: Recovered COVID patients should get single vaccine shot

Vaccine prevents 98.9% of COVID deaths, Israel’s Health Ministry data shows

Defying government, 17 cities prepare to reopen classes for grades 7-10

SNL under fire after actor jokes that Israel only vaccinating Jews

Great-grandma flexes for camera, hits on news anchor as gyms reopen

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PHOTO: Nurses from Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Hospital hug after a patient passed away in the coronavirus ward on January 19, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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