RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Israeli government announced Sunday (11) that it would offer adults with weakened immune systems a booster dose of Pfizer/BioNtech’s Covid-19 vaccine but still consider whether to give a third dose to the general public.
With the rapid spread of the Delta variant, first discovered in India, new infections in Israel rose by single digits last month to about 450 per day.
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said that adults with weakened immune systems who have received two doses from Pfizer can receive a booster dose from now on. Still, there is “no definitive answer” on using a third injection for the general population.
“We are investigating this issue. In any case, as of now, we are administering a third dose to people who suffer from immunodeficiency. These are, for example, people who have undergone organ transplants or have a disease that causes a drop in immunity,” Horowitz said.
Pfizer and partner BioNTech, the main suppliers of vaccines for the rapid Israeli vaccination campaign that began in December, said Thursday they plan to seek permission from U.S. and European regulators for booster doses within weeks.
The companies cited an increased risk of infection after six months as the reason. However, they have not yet shared the data showing that risk and the announcement have been criticized by scientists.
According to the Health Ministry, about half of the 46 patients currently hospitalized in serious conditions in Israel have been vaccinated. Israel’s coronavirus pandemic coordinator, Nachman Ash, said Wednesday that the overwhelming majority of them are from high-risk groups, over 60 years old and with previous health problems.
Israel has administered Pfizer vaccines almost exclusively to about 60 percent of its population of 9.3 million people.
This week, the country’s Health Ministry announced that the efficacy of Pfizer’s vaccine is 64% against all coronavirus infections, up from about 95% in May, before the delta variant began its rise to near dominance in the country.
The result differs from studies in other countries. The Israeli Ministry of Health estimates that Pfizer’s vaccine is 93% effective in preventing serious illness and hospitalization. Experts explain that this is to be expected because it is difficult for a single study to determine the vaccine’s effectiveness accurately.