Israel revealed third dose of COVID-19 vaccine dramatically reduces risk of infection

Third Dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Significantly Improved Protection Against Infections and Serious Illness in People 60 Years of Age and older in Israel, compared to those who received two doses, the findings released by Israel’s health ministry showed this Sunday.

The The data they were presented Thursday at a meeting of a ministerial group of vaccine experts and uploaded to its website on Sunday, although full details of the study have not been released.

The conclusions were consistent with some statistics reported separately last week by Maccabi, an Israeli healthcare provider who is part of various organizations who provide booster shots in an attempt to curb the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Break down statistics from the Gertner Institute of Israel and the KI Institute, Ministry officials said that among people 60 and older, the protection against infection offered starting 10 days after a third dose was four times greater than after two doses..

A third dose for those over 60 offered five to six times the protection, after 10 days in cases of serious illness and hospitalization.

This age group is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and in Israel it was the first to be vaccinated when the vaccination campaign began in late December.

These last weeks, The health ministry said immunity has declined over time for the elderly and also for the very young. Most of the vaccinated people who became seriously ill in Israel were over 60 and had underlying health problems.

Israel has started vaccinating people over 40 with the third dose. This last friday Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has been vaccinated. Health authorities have widened the age group to receive the booster injection against the new coronavirus.

The over 40s have already received – since this Friday – the third dose of the vaccine against the COVID-19 disease in this Middle Eastern country, which continues to expand the recall and recommends extending it to the entire population.

The coronavirus cabinet approved the extension of the campaign which began at the end of July with those over 60, and even the 49-year-old premier was one of the first to receive the dose for the approved age group and that they must have been inoculated with the second more than five months ago.

A third dose for those over 60 provided five to six times the protection after 10 days for severe illness and hospitalization

“I call on all those who meet the conditions set by the committee to be vaccinated. Take responsibility for the health and livelihoods of all of us. Now is not the time to risk your life “Bennett said after approving the measure.

Over 1.2 million Israelis received third injection in country, which faces a fourth wave of infections due to the delta variant and it has detected more infections in those vaccinated, which some experts associate with the decrease in antibodies.

This last Friday he again approached at 8,000 cases in 24 hours, figures that the country had not recorded since February and after containing the pandemic and having reduced it to only ten contaminations.

About 60% of the population, or about 9.3 million people, have completed the two-dose regimen and with the reinforcement, Israel intends to contain hospitalizations and serious cases.

According to the first studies carried out by health insurers, reinforcement offers a 86% efficiency in those over 60, and authorities have found that the increase in severe cases has slowed since the start of the third dose campaign.

The fourth wave of coronavirus led Israel to reimpose restrictions that had been lifted, such as the vaccination certificate to access certain spaces and the limitation of people gathered, including in shopping malls.

KEEP READING: