The ‘magic’ of the Israeli vaccine has come to work as coronavirus cases have surfaced among vulnerable ages since the second dose of Pfizer was distributed.
But in one fell swoop to the UK’s strategy of leaving 12 weeks between injections, the new study warns that the first dose isn’t ‘very effective’ at reducing cases.
Israel began administering the second dose on January 10, and a strong difference in caseloads between the older and younger age brackets shows that the shot is starting.
The daily number of cases of people over 60 fell by 46 percent from its mid-January peak, while there was a much smaller drop of 18 percent in infections among people over 60, a new study from the Weizmann Institute found in Tel Aviv.
NEW POSITIVE CASES (ongoing weekly rating): The second dose was distributed from January 10
NEW CASES IN THE HOSPITAL (weekly rolling figure): People over 60 were the first group to be vaccinated and saw a 35 percent decrease in cases, a 30 percent decrease in hospital admissions and a 20 percent decrease in those who became seriously ill in the two weeks to February 1
Joseph Zalman Kleinman, 92, a Holocaust survivor, receives his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19, administered by Rachel Atias of United Hatzalah’s paramedic service at the Clalit Health Services vaccination center in a Jerusalem sports arena. Thursday January 21
On Thursday, 78 percent of the over-60s had received two doses of Pfizer injection.
Hospital admissions are down 35 percent from mid-January, while admissions for younger adults have remained flat and are now even slightly higher.
A similar difference can be seen in hospital admissions, with a drop of 30 percent for people over 60 in the two weeks to February 1.
There was also a 20 percent decrease in the number of patients who became seriously ill in the older age group during that period.
Another study by the Israel Institute of Technology found that the Pfizer shot was between 66 and 85 percent effective at preventing infection and 87 to 96 percent effective at stopping serious illness.
Those numbers suggest the vaccine is not as effective as Pfizer’s own data, but the results are very strong nonetheless.
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 efficacy of the [Pfizer trial] it is still substantive and provides reassurance for the vaccine’s efficacy. ‘
But the study also found that one shot is not “very effective” against Covid.
Great Britain decided to extend the interval between doses from the Pfizer recommended three weeks to 12 weeks due to unpredictability of supply.
“We see that the effectiveness jumps immediately after the second dose,” said Prof. Aran.
However, he noted that this may be because the first dose takes time to work – presumably about two weeks.
“We will have to wait and see figures from the UK,” he added.
Announcing the Weizmann Institute’s findings on Monday, lead author Professor Eran Segal, a computer scientist, said, “We say carefully: the magic has begun.”
He said they expected results to be shown earlier in the data, but the impact of the jab may have been dented by the Kent mutant variant.
‘The British variant is now also the dominant one here and if the reports are correct, this will not only spread faster but also cause a more serious disease. This may have been another factor driving the [early] impact of the vaccine, ‘added Prof Segal.
When things first started to fall, it wasn’t immediately clear whether this was due to the Pfzer jabs or a new national lockdown imposed on Jan. 8.
But the new data provides strong evidence that this has to do with the vaccines.
‘The effect is stronger [among older people] than in the younger populations who would vaccinate later, and these patterns were not seen in the previous lockdown, ”said Prof. Segal.
A young man gets a vaccine in Jerusalem on Thursday, while Israel is the world leader in vaccinations and has begun to vaccinate the younger age groups
A nurse prepares an injection in a sports arena in Jerusalem
Israel announced yesterday that it will ease lockdown measures from Sunday morning, but will keep its international airport closed until Feb. 20 if the cases fall.
“Most importantly, all Israeli men and women over 50 are vaccinated,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address.
Get vaccinated. The vaccines work. ‘
Israel records an average of 6,500 new Covid-19 cases daily, up from about 8,000 in mid-January, official figures show.
A strict nationwide lockdown has been extended four times to combat the infection rate, but January was the deadliest month with more than 1,000 Covid fatalities.
Israel has recorded a total of more than 675,000 cases of Covid-19, including more than 5,000 deaths.
Under the easing, Israelis will no longer be restricted to less than 500 meters from their homes, and services such as hair and beauty salons will be allowed to operate and wildlife sanctuaries and national parks will be reopened.
Hotels remain closed and restaurants are only allowed to pick up meals.
Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, where international flights have been suspended since January 24, will remain closed until February 20, the government said.
Land borders remain closed.
Since December, more than 3.3 million of Israel’s nine million residents have received a first shot with coronavirus vaccines.