On Thursday, Israel’s prime Minister announced that the country would provide a coronavirus booster for people over 60 who are currently vaccinated.
Naftali Bennett announced that Israel will now be the first country in the world to offer its citizens a third dose Western vaccine. Israel was the beneficiary of one of the most successful vaccination campaigns of all time.
Bennett announced in a nationally broadcast address that he was announcing the start of the campaign to get the booster vaccine, which is the third vaccine. The vaccines are safe, according to reality. The vaccines are safe against serious morbidity or death. It is just like the flu vaccine, which must be renewed every so often.
This decision is made at a time when there are rising rates of infections and indications that the effectiveness of the vaccine is waning over time.
Anyone older than 60 who was vaccinated within the last five months will be eligible. Bennett stated that the nation’s new president Isaac Herzog would be the first to receive the booster. It will be made available to the public on Sunday.
Bennett, 49, stated that his first call would be to his mother after the news conference to encourage her to get her booster shot.
Coronavirus booster shots have not been approved by the EU or the U.S. It is not known if coronavirus booster shots can be used in combination with another dose. If so, when and who should it be administered.
Bennett stated that the booster campaign was a result of a group of experts who had unanimously agreed, 56-1, that it was a good idea. Bennett said that the recommendation was based on “considerable research” and would be shared with the rest of the world. Initial Israeli studies have shown that the vaccine’s effectiveness against serious illnesses has declined among people who were vaccinated in January.
Israel has been using the BioNtech/Pfizer vaccine on its citizens. In some countries that had the Russian and Chinese vaccines, boosters were previously used.
Israel launched one of the most successful and aggressive vaccination campaigns in the world. In exchange for sharing its data, it reached a deal to buy enough vaccines for its people with Pfizer.
More than 57% of the nation’s 9.3million citizens have been vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech, and more than 80% of those over 40 have been vaccinated.
Israel was able to open its economy faster than other countries thanks to the vaccination program. Even though everyone is vaccinated, Israel has seen an increase in the number of cases of the new Delta variant. Bennett advised Israelis to get vaccinated as soon as possible, particularly younger people who were hesitant.
Israel began giving people with weak immune systems an additional shot earlier this month to improve their resistance against COVID-19.
Pfizer Wednesday stated that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases slightly six months after the second dose. Pfizer and BioNTech, its German partner, have stated that they will seek approval for boosters in August. The World Health Organization stated earlier this month that there was not enough evidence to support the need for a third dose.
After an increase in coronavirus infections over the last month, Israeli Health Ministry reported at least 2,165 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday. As the highly infectious delta variant spreads, serious cases of COVID-19 rose from 19 to 159 in mid-June.
Israel was able to lift almost all its coronavirus restrictions thanks to its successful vaccination campaign. The country is trying to stop the spread of the highly infectious delta virus variant, but new cases are on the rise. It has imposed restrictions on gatherings and restored a green pass system that allows vaccinated persons to enter certain enclosed spaces. There is also an indoor mask mandate.
