Israelis over 60 years of age are given the third dose of the vaccine – Dajin

Israel will be the first country in the world to provide a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-Biontech. From Sunday, the vaccine can be given to people over 60 years old. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hopes the measure will slow the spread of infection in the country.

United States – President Isaac Herzog, who will receive an injection on Friday, will be the first to receive the refill dose, Bennett said at a news conference.

Call your parents and grandparents now and make sure they get their third dose, says Bennett Haaretz.

The Prime Minister confirms that there are sufficient reasons for a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

This decision came according to media reports in the Ministry of Health on Thursday, despite the recent announcement by the World Health Organization that there is no need for a third dose for the time being. The reason is that the spread of the delta type of coronavirus has increased rapidly in the country, despite the high vaccination rate.

[ Palestinier tackar nej till vaccinleverans från Israel ]

Less protection over time

The spread of infection occurs mainly among young and unvaccinated people, but more and more elderly people who were vaccinated five to six months ago are being tested. Preliminary reports from the Department of Health show that the Pfizera vaccine has protection against the delta variant of only 16 percent for those vaccinated six months ago. In addition, it is estimated that protection against critical illness decreased from 97 to 81 percent for the same group Jerusalem Post.

“It’s still 81 percent effective, but the difference is huge,” Professor Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute wrote on Twitter. “Since the risk of someone over 60 years old developing a serious illness was previously 3 percent, this means that the risk is now 19 percent, which is six times higher,” he continues.

Professor Galia Rahaf, head of the infection clinic at Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv, told the newspaper Ha’aretz More than 4,000 Israelis with weakened immune systems have already received a third dose of the vaccine without any serious side effects.

All people over 60 who received their second dose at least five months ago will now be offered a refillable dose.

[ Här får Dagens Israelreporter coronavaccinet ]

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Facts: Israel’s vaccination program

Israel was already, in December last year, in the process of being vaccinated with the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine against covid-19. The vaccination program is open to anyone over the age of twelve.

The Israeli vaccination program served in practice as a giant clinical study of the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine. By sharing certain health data from millions of people who have been vaccinated with the company, Israel has succeeded in obtaining very large quantities of vaccines from the company.

To date, about 57 percent of the population has been vaccinated with two doses.

Currently, approximately 160 people with severe symptoms are being treated in hospitals in Israel and the number of new cases has risen to more than 2,000 per day compared to a small number of cases a few months ago.

Source: TT-Reuters

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