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A woman in her 50s has been hospitalized in serious condition after likely suffering an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 booster, the health ministry said on Saturday.
She was hospitalized at Ziv Medical Center in the northern city of Safed on Friday when Israel began offering third doses of coronavirus vaccines to anyone over 50, becoming the first country to do it.
The woman, 52, remains in serious but stable condition, according to the ministry, adding that she was being examined for “other possibilities which led to her state of health.”
The health ministry said it was also studying the details of the case.
“An allergic reaction to vaccines is a known and rare phenomenon. Anyone who develops an allergic reaction after receiving a dose of the vaccine is advised not to get the vaccine until consulting their doctor, ”the ministry said in a statement.
It appears to be the first case in Israel of someone having a major allergic reaction after receiving a third dose of the vaccine, which 813,216 people received on Friday.
Army radio reported that she also developed an allergic reaction after receiving her second injection and had to be hospitalized. It was not clear if she had seen a doctor before receiving the third dose.
An illustrative photo of a medical worker preparing a booster injection of the COVID-19 vaccine at a temporary Clalit Health Services facility in Tel Aviv, August 10, 2021. (Miriam Alster / Flash90)
In addition to people over the age of 50, Israel also began offering booster shots to medical staff and people with underlying illnesses, as well as prisoners and guards on Friday.
Last month, Israel became the first country in the world to start administering reminders to people over the age of 60. It also gives a third vaccine to people with weakened immune systems, which US regulators also cleared on Thursday.
“I really hope that as many people my age, 50 and over, as possible will be vaccinated with the third dose,” Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, 56, said during his recall.
“Now is a critical moment. This is the most effective tool we have to stop the Delta variant. We are in a very large epidemic and it is a step that everyone can take, ”he added.
The World Health Organization has called for a moratorium on booster injections until at least the end of September, to address inequalities in the global distribution of doses.
But Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel was doing the world a “great service” by administering the third doses and sharing their results.
It was previously reported that Bennett exerted significant pressure on health officials, cabinet members and even members of the advisory committee to allow booster shots for people over 40.
Additionally, on Thursday Bennett spoke with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and urged him to speed up regulatory approval of the pharmaceutical giant’s COVID-19 vaccine for those under 12.
The decision to open the booster shots to people over the age of 50 in Israel came as data from the Health Ministry showed no signs of slowing the virus outbreak.
A hospital worker treats a patient in the coronavirus ward at Ziv Medical Center in the northern city of Safed on August 11, 2021 (David Cohen / Flash90)
According to the latest figures from Friday, 453 people are in serious condition from COVID.
Data from the Health Ministry showed that among unvaccinated Israelis aged 60 and over, there are 118.8 people per 100,000 in serious condition. Among those vaccinated, the figure was 18.5 per 100,000, and the partially vaccinated figure was 40.5.
There were 6,083 people diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, and 3,659 more on Friday afternoon.
There have been 44,730 active coronavirus cases in Israel, with a total of 786 hospital patients. The death toll stands at 6,611.
Agencies contributed to this report.
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