Delta variant: Israel says Pfizer vaccine less effective at preventing infections as cases soar

Despite the high vaccination rate –more than 62% of the population has at least one dose-, the government of Israel worries about a coronavirus epidemic trained by Delta variant, which is already responsible for 90% of new infections.

Furthermore preliminary study by the ministry of health I concluded that the Pfizer vaccine – BioNTech is less effective (64%) at slowing down new infections for the Delta variant, compared to others coronavirus variants.

The information collected by the Ministry of Health Israel last month, suggests that the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 30% less effective (64%) at preventing infection, even in people who have been fully vaccinated. In comparison, efficiency compared to other variants was 94%, reported the Ynet website, which had access to the study.

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In May, a study by Public health England based on campaa de vacunacin britnica, had also verified that the Pfizer -like that of Oxford-AstraZeneca– showed a reduction in prevention of Delta infection (88%) compared to the Alpha variant (93%), emerged in the Kingdom United.

In the study of IsraelHowever, the vaccine keep showing high levels of effectiveness (93%) in preventing serious illness and hospitalizations for coronavirus. Although a small reduction in coverage compared to May figures (98.2%), when Delta he still did not circulate as much in the country. In the past three weeks, infections of the variant that appeared in India increased by 60%.

Nadav Davidovich, a member of the government advisory committee, told the Financial Times that the figures are “preliminary” and that although “Delta is much more contagious, it doesn’t seem like much serious images and deathsespecially since we now have the vaccine. “

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Israel already has the 58% of the population fully immune, while about 5% only get the first dose.

“If the numbers continue to rise, now they are doubling every week, we are going to have to vaccinate the missing million as quickly as possible,” Davidovich added.

The country has reported 369 cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the highest figure in the past three months. Despite the rebound in infections, health officials have reported only one death associated with the virus in two weeks, none on the last day.

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Official data indicates that there are currently 2,800 active cases of Covid-19, including 70 people hospitalized including 35 in serious condition.

It is expected that this Tuesday the cabinet of coronavirus which advises the government, meets to define new restrictions with the aim of stop the new epidemic.

Among others, it is considered limited re-application of the ‘green passport’ for vaccinated people; the compulsory use of chin straps in enclosed spaces; that parents of children who have contracted the virus in quarantine (there are currently around 60,000 isolates in Israel) with them until they have a negative test result. It is also planned that the entry measures of people via international flights will be strengthened..

The authorities are also analyzing the possibility of applying a booster dose immunocompromised people, although there is as yet no official recommendation to expand booster dose to the general population.