Just one shot of the coronavirus vaccine drastically reduces infections and hospitalization in Israel; early research shows. The second shot reduces it even more. Experts, however, warn that this is just a preliminary study.
Israel is now leading the world in its efforts to eradicate the coronavirus. Israel is now the world’s fastest per capita distributor of vaccines. Up to 30% of its population has received at least the first dose of the vaccine. However, global leaders were concerned about the high rate of infections, deaths, and hospitalization in the country in recent times. It refused to die down even with collaborated efforts. Officials hoped that the vaccine would bring down the instances of death. The country, however, has good news for us.
COVID Infections In Israel Drop Drastically After The First Dose Of Vaccine
The first shot of the vaccine has drastically reduced infections and hospitalization. The initial data it published shows a significant reduction in infections and hospitalization just after one shot. The second shot adds up to the momentum.
The vaccine triggers the cells to create a “spike” protein, which triggers the immune system in the production of antibodies that match the protein on the surface of the virus that causes COVID.
Maccabi Health Services, the second-largest healthcare organization in Israel, studied a group of 50,777 elderly patients above 60, and the study is based on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Patients were vaccinated in late December and in mid-January. The early data showed that infections and hospitalization were down 60% from the peak within two days of the second dose. The downward trend was noticed after two weeks of the first shot. Health experts warn that the study is preliminary. It has not yet been clinically proven. Maccabi Health Services, however, feels that the data is quite encouraging.
On 25th, the country’s Health Ministry, along with Maccabi Health Services, again released their findings. The report showed a very high rate of effectiveness for the vaccine. 428,000 Israelis received the prescribed two doses of the vaccine. After one week, only 0.03% of people showed a relapse. Also, the chances of side effects of the vaccine are very rare and very few people have reported minor side effects after the first dose.
From last Saturday, two days after the second shot, the 60% reduction in hospitalization instances among the elderly, especially those above 60, came to the notice.
Galia Rahav, the Director of Infectious Diseases in Sheba Medical Center, states that the statistics of the recent weeks showed the impact of the nation’s fight against infectious disease. According to him, this data is of utmost importance. The rate of infections across the globe is on the rise. Besides, new variants are spreading. Determining the impact of vaccination is tough under these circumstances.
Israel used the vaccine Pfizer produced in collaboration with BioNTech. At first, they used it only for the elderly and for high-risk people. Today, anyone above 40 and those in the age range of 16-18 would need parental consent.
The good news comes in the midst of a report that a single dose of the Pfizer jab is just 33% effective. The report had infuriated the British Prime Minister, who threatened to take the news to the press watchdog as the news would affect the vaccine drive.
Even with its high efficacy, the healthcare sector warns against leniency. There should not be any exemptions with regard to testing, isolation, and rules related to crowded assemblies.
The decline of infections, according to the officials, is a good sign. They expect that soon, they will see a consistent decline in infections and hospitalizations.