Israel Administers Fourth Dose of Pfizer Vaccine to Over 20,000 People
In a bid to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, Israel has administered a fourth dose of the Pfizer vaccine to over 20,000 people. The booster shot has been found to increase the number of antibodies against the virus by five times within a week. The vaccination campaign has been open to medical personnel, seniors, and individuals from high-risk groups, such as those with weakened immune systems or pre-existing conditions.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, presented the results of the vaccination campaign during a visit to the Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv. He was accompanied by the study’s lead researcher, Gili Regev. While the increase in antibodies is promising, it does not necessarily indicate better protection against infection or symptomatic illness. However, the study found that the fourth dose of the vaccine had only minor side effects, similar to those experienced after the third dose. No severe side effects were reported among the participants.
Over 100,000 people in Israel have already scheduled appointments for their second booster shot. The efficacy of the vaccine against the Omicron variant has been called into question, with data from South African health insurers suggesting that the protection offered by two doses of the AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines is low. As a result, many countries are administering booster shots to their populations. Israel’s vaccination campaign has been one of the most successful in the world, with over 80% of its population fully vaccinated. The country’s experience with the pandemic has made it a valuable source of information for other nations grappling with the latest wave of infections.
