The “magic” of Israeli vaccines has begun to work as cases of coronavirus among vulnerable ages have fallen since the second dose of Pfizer was distributed.
But in a blow to the British strategy of leaving 12 weeks between injections, the new study warns that the first dose is not “very effective” in reducing cases.
Israel began administering the second dose on Jan. 10, and a sharp divergence in case loads between older and younger age groups shows the spike is taking advantage.
A new study by the Weizmann Institute in Tel Aviv showed that daily case rates for people over 60 have fallen by 46% compared to the mid-January peak, while there has been a decrease of 18%. of infections among children under 60 years of age.
NEW POSITIVE CASES (variable weekly figure): the second dose was distributed from January 10
NEW CASES IN THE HOSPITAL (continuous weekly figure): those over 60 were the first group inoculated and recorded a drop of 35% of cases, a 30% decrease in hospitalizations and a 20% drop in people who fell seriously ill in the next two weeks 1 February
Joseph Zalman Kleinman, 92, Holocaust survivor, receives his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19, administered by Rachel Atias, of the United Hatzalah paramedic service, at the Clalit Health Services vaccination center, in a precinct Jerusalem Sports, Thursday, January 21st
As of Thursday, 78% of those over 60 had received two doses of the Pfizer intake.
Hospital admissions have fallen 35% compared to mid-January, while admissions for younger adults have remained flat and are even slightly higher.
A similar disparity is observed in hospital admissions, with a 30% decrease for those over 60 in the two weeks to 1 February.
There was also a 20% drop in patients who became seriously ill in the older age group during this period.
Another study by the Israel Institute of Technology showed that Pfizer’s puncture was effective at 66 to 85 percent to prevent infection and 87 to 96 percent to stop serious disease.
These figures suggest that the vaccine is not as effective as Pfizer’s own data showed, but they are still very strong results.
The study’s author, Professor Dvir Aran, told The Telegraph: “Our sensitivity analysis provides an estimate of the vaccine’s effectiveness in reducing positive and severe cases.
“Although this estimate is lower than the effectiveness of the [Pfizer trial] it is still substantial and provides security for vaccine efficacy. ”
But the study also found that a punch is not “very effective” against Covid.
Britain decided to extend the range between the three-week doses recommended by Pfizer to 12 weeks due to the unpredictability of supplies.
“We see that immediately after the second dose the effectiveness jumps,” Professor Aran said.
However, he noted that this could be because it takes time for the first dose to work, which is believed to last about two weeks.
“We will have to wait and see UK numbers,” he added.
Announcing the findings of the Weizmann Institute on Monday, the lead author, Professor Eran Segal, a computer scientist, said: “We say with caution that the magic has begun.”
He said they expected the results to be shown earlier in the data, but that the impact of the puncture could have been affected by the Kent mutant variant.
“The UK variant is also the dominant one here now and, if the reports are correct, this not only spreads faster, but also causes more serious illnesses. This may have been another factor that offset the [early] the impact of the vaccine, “Professor Segal added.
When the cases began to be abandoned, it was not immediately known whether it was the Pfzer attacks or a new national closure imposed on 8 January.
But new data offers strong evidence that this depends on vaccines.
‘The effect is stronger [among older people] than in the younger populations that were vaccinated later, and these patterns were not seen in the previous closure, ”Professor Segal said.
A young man receiving vaccine in Jerusalem on Thursday as Israel leads the world in vaccine bets and has begun inoculating younger age groups
A nurse prepares a jab on a sports court in Jerusalem
Israel announced yesterday that it will facilitate the blocking measures from Sunday morning, but will keep its international airport closed until February 20 as cases fall.
“The most important thing is that all Israeli men and women over the age of 50 be vaccinated,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised speech.
Go vaccinate. Vaccines work.
Israel has registered a daily average of 6,500 new cases of Covid-19, up from 8,000 in mid-January, according to official data.
A strict national closure has been expanded four times to combat the infection rate, but January was the deadliest month with more than 1,000 deaths from Covid.
Israel has recorded a total of more than 675,000 cases of Covid-19, including more than 5,000 deaths.
In this way, Israelis will no longer be restricted to less than 500 meters from their home, and services such as beauty salons and hairdressers will be allowed to operate and nature reserves and national parks will be reopened.
Hotels remain closed and restaurants can only take away food.
Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, where international flights have been suspended since Jan. 24, will remain closed until Feb. 20, the government said.
Land borders will remain closed.
Since December, more than 3.3 million of Israel’s nine million population have received a first injection of coronavirus vaccines.