Israel’s booster vaccination campaign has been successful in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection and death, according to recent studies. The campaign began in July 2021, with seniors receiving the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech. By August, the campaign had been extended to those over 12 years old. The country’s infection rates have since dropped significantly, with the peak of the outbreak occurring in September 2021. Two retrospective studies have confirmed the high efficacy of the booster vaccine, reducing the risk of infection and death by over 90%.
The first study compared the number of infections and deaths between those who had received the booster vaccine and those who had not. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that the number of severe illnesses in those over 60 who had received the booster was 17.9 times lower than in those who had not. The number of deaths was 14.7 times lower. The second study compared the number of infections and deaths between the entire group of those who had received the booster and those who had received it only 3-7 days prior. This was done to avoid potential distortions caused by people not getting tested in the first few days after vaccination. The results showed that severe illnesses in those over 60 were 6.5 times lower, and deaths were 4.9 times lower.
Despite the differing results of the two studies, they both confirm that the booster vaccine significantly reduces the risk of infection and death. This is also supported by data from the Clalit health insurance company, which shows that significantly fewer people over 50 who have received the booster vaccine are becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 compared to those who have not received it. Israel’s successful booster campaign provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of vaccination in reducing the spread of COVID-19.
