Only around 61 percent of the 9.4 million Israelis are still considered fully vaccinated. These are twice vaccinated up to six months after the second vaccination and people with booster vaccination.
(Photo: dpa)
Tel Aviv The head of an Israeli study on the effectiveness of a fourth corona vaccination sees an observed five-fold increase in antibodies as “good, but not sufficient”. “We see a certain increase in antibodies, but the increase is not very impressive,” said Professor Gili Regev of the Israeli news website “ynet” on Wednesday about the preliminary results of the study.
Shortly after the fourth vaccination, you were back to the same antibody level as shortly after the third, Regev said. She had hoped for more from a second booster vaccination. It could not be the goal to get vaccinated against the coronavirus about every four months.
She was glad that endangered population groups such as the immunocompromised and over 60-year-olds in Israel were already being given the fourth dose, Regev said. “But I’m really not sure if they should be given to everyone now. We need more information. “
Regev also emphasized the enormous importance of the first booster vaccination: “Anyone who has received the first and second dose must urgently also receive the third.” Those who have not yet received a booster should “run” to the vaccination station, she advised.
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Another attempt with a fourth dose of vaccine against the coronavirus began in the Schiba Hospital on Wednesday. 150 participants are to receive a fourth vaccination with Moderna after three doses of the preparation from Biontech / Pfizer. “A combination of vaccines may be better,” Regev said. It is the first attempt worldwide with a fourth vaccination with combined vaccines.
Only around 61 percent of the 9.4 million Israelis are still considered fully vaccinated. These are twice vaccinated up to six months after the second vaccination and people with booster vaccination. 30 percent of the population are not vaccinated at all, with nine percent the vaccination has expired. According to the Ministry of Health, more than four million Israelis have already received the third dose, and more than 70,000 have received the fourth.
Number of new infections peaked
In view of the increasing number of Omicron cases, various institutes in Israel are working flat out to further develop the vaccination strategy. The number of new infections has now reached a high since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Israeli Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that 11,978 new cases had been registered within 24 hours. The highest number to date was 11,345 on September 2 last year.
For comparison: The health authorities in Germany reported almost 59,000 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within one day. Germany has around nine times as many inhabitants as Israel.
“We see a certain increase in antibodies, but the increase is not very impressive.”
(Photo: dpa)
In view of the wave of infection with the omicron variant of the coronavirus, fourth vaccinations have been given to people over 60 and medical staff in Israel since this week. According to a study by the Schiba Hospital near Tel Aviv, the fourth vaccination dose with the preparation from Biontech / Pfizer increases the number of antibodies against Omikron five-fold within a week. But the latest study by Gili Regev suggests that this protection might not have a particularly lasting effect.
Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Tuesday that the number of cases could rise to 50,000 a day during the Omikron wave. “The omicron storm is getting stronger,” said Bennett.
Only around 61 percent of the 9.4 million Israelis are still considered fully vaccinated. In Israel, this includes people who have been vaccinated twice up to six months after the second vaccination and people with a booster vaccination. 30 percent of the population are not vaccinated at all, with nine percent the vaccination has expired.
Meanwhile, Israeli PCR test stations are already overburdened. As of Friday, only risk groups and people over 60 years of age will have to do a PCR test after contact with a corona infected person, as the Ministry of Health announced. For everyone else, a rapid antigen test is sufficient. In general: Vaccinated persons are released from quarantine if the test result is negative, unvaccinated persons must be in quarantine for at least seven days. If the test result is positive, ten days of quarantine apply.
More: Israel is the first country to decide on a fourth Covid vaccination – but it is highly controversial