Israel to vaccinate people over 60 with third dose against coronavirus

Israel to start offering third dose of COVID vaccine to people over 60 from Sunday, after the health ministry approved the measure on Thursday.

Booster injections will be given to people over 60 years of age who received their second dose at least five months ago. Israel is the first country to announce that it will start giving booster shots.

A team of experts advising Israel’s health ministry recommended on Wednesday that the elderly receive a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine, although he did not agree on the ages to be considered for reinforcement.

The recommendation came after some of the data presented in a discussion on Wednesday suggested that the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing severe symptoms in people aged 60 and over has fallen to 81% by 97 percent in January.

Yes OK Most of the panelists preferred a booster shot for anyone 60 and over, others suggested increasing the age to 65 or 70.

Early Wednesday, experts told the newspaper Haaretz What there was not yet enough data on the efficacy and safety of a third dose, but they also expressed concern about the decision being postponed.

The doctor Galia Rahav, head of the infectious diseases unit at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, lead a research team that will study the measurement. Rahav said Haaretz who hopes to start testing a third dose next week.

“We are seeing a dramatic drop in immunity levels and we know that older people respond less to vaccines than younger people, but we don’t have that data for COVID-19.“, He said.

Tuesday the Prime Minister Naftali Bennett I declare that Israel was “very close” to decision on booster injections COVID and get the extra doses needed to make it happen.

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