Study in Israel noted that Pfizer’s vaccine is 70% effective against Delta variant of COVID-19

Pfizer’s COVID vaccine is the most effective in preventing serious infections. Delta variant, although its rate drops considerably in these cases, according to research published in Israel, where the majority of the population is vaccinated with this formula.

The study conducted by the Hebrew University and Hadassah University Medical Center indicated that the formula developed by the BioNTech laboratory achieved 70% effectiveness against the Delta variant., as reported by the national channel can, a significant drop from the 95% rate against the parent virus, but well above the 50% threshold recommended by the WHO.

The Ynet portal reported that the figures were presented to the health authorities, who in the last few hours has warned that the highly contagious Delta variant, increased its predominance in the country: it went from 60% to 90% of new cases in just two weeks.

On Monday, Israeli authorities reported 343 cases of coronavirus, its highest number in the past three months, in the middle of a strong rebound. He also pointed out that there are currently 2,597 active cases in the country, of which 35 are in serious condition, while the positivity rate has risen to 0.7%.

Israel’s vaccine rollout, which began in December, has been one of the fastest in the world, making the Jewish state a well-attended case study of whether mass immunization offers a way out of the crisis. pandemic. The vaccinations had reduced transmission to about five new local cases per day, a number that has increased exponentially in recent weeks.

Ran Balicer, chairman of Israel’s national COVID-19 panel, however, warned of declining efficiency considered that it is too early to assess it precisely against the Delta, first identified in India in April and emerging worldwide. This is due, in part, to the low number of cases among fully vaccinated Israelis, as these cases are not evenly distributed across the population, further complicating efforts to draw conclusions from the data.

Balicer, also director of innovation at Clalit, Israel’s largest health maintenance organization (HMO), told the AFP What the emergence of the Delta variant as the “dominant strain” in the country caused a “massive change in the dynamics of transmission”.

About half of new daily cases occur in children, and the other half in adults, most of whom are vaccinated. “To some extent, that was to be expected, as 85% of Israeli adults are vaccinated,” Balicer said. “But the rates at which we see these cases ahead of time make it appear that they go beyond what is expected and suggest that there is likely to be a decrease in the effectiveness of the vaccine against mild disease, but not serious”.

In this regard, he added that experts “remain hopeful that the efficacy of the vaccine against serious illness will remain as high as it was for the Alpha strain” first identified in Britain in December.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday, ahead of a weekly cabinet meeting, that “with the Delta variant on the rampage,” Israel may have to reintroduce certain restrictions that were lifted last month to curb the broadcast.

Balicer said Israel was unlikely to be able to contain the increase in cases without further restrictions being imposed, but expressed hope that they would be moderated and the “vaccine wall” Israeli vaccinated citizens would help reduce the spread.

Authorities They would also consider the possibility of injecting a third dose of the vaccine to people in risk groups. to strengthen the immune system and prevent the spread of disease.

(With AFP and Europa Press information)

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