Israel It was one of the first countries to implement a mass vaccination program for Covid-19, setting an example for the rest of the world.
By the end of February, at least 50% of the population had taken at least one dose of the vaccine. Today, according to the Our World in Data platform, about 63% of the Israeli population is fully immunized.
The country practically returned to normal life in early June. At the time with few cases of coronavirus, the battle against the virus seemed to have been won.
However, starting in July, infections began to rise again, and earlier this month, Israel began recording more than 10,000 new cases of the disease per day.
The authorities’ response was a booster vaccination program initially offered to those over the age of 60 but who It ended up expanding to increasingly younger population groups.
In a more recent development, Israel is preparing to guarantee sufficient vaccines in case a fourth round of vaccination against COVID-19 is needed12, Nachman Ash, director general of the Ministry of Health, the nation’s top health authority, said.
“We don’t know when that will happen,” he said in an interview with local radio 103FM. “I really hope it won’t be in six months, like now, and the third dose will last longer.”
The recent surge in cases (ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 new cases per day, according to the country’s moving average) has sparked debate over the future of Israel’s vaccination program and could provide important lessons for the rest of the world, according to BBC health correspondent Rachel Schreyer.
Health authorities are being particularly vigilant after the reopening of schools on September 1 and recent family gatherings marking the Jewish New Year (the Jewish New Year).
Only 62 percent of Israel’s population received two doses, notes Michael Head – Image: Getty Images
An important part of the problem in Israel is vaccination coverage, in the view of Michael Head, a global health researcher at the University of Southampton in England.
After its rapid start, the vaccination program slowed, Head says in a recent article on the academic website The Conversation.
“There were no obvious interruptions in the supply of vaccines, so factors such as frequency or access to medical care may be a problem,” the researcher says. “For example, there is evidence that acceptance is lower among Arab groups and ultra-Orthodox Jews.”
The proportion of the population who received at least one dose of the vaccine rose from 50% in February to just 68% in September. Children aged 12-15 years were included in the vaccination program in June 2021.
Head remembers that with about 30% of its population unvaccinated, Israel has about 2.7 million people who are likely to be susceptible to infection and disease.
But despite this, a few months ago, the level of coverage seemed to be sufficient to get cases under control.
So what has changed since then?
Some scientists suggest that the weakened immunity caused by the vaccine is one of the reasons for the new wave of the Corona virus in Israel – Image: Getty Images
The more contagious delta variant appears to have played a role in the resurgence of cases, affecting the level of vaccine protection.
Despite this, it is known that the immunizing agent remains highly effective against the most severe forms of the disease.
Scientists monitoring the data believe that an important factor in the recent increase in cases in Israel is the decrease in immunity caused by the Pfizer vaccine, the only vaccination administered in the country initially, according to Schreier.
According to Professor Eran Segal, who advises the Israeli government on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of individual protection is 30% to 40% from five to six months after vaccination, compared to protection of more than 90% immediately after vaccination. immunization.
Some scientists suggest that weakened immunity caused by the vaccine is one of the reasons for the advanced wave of covid-19.
Despite this decline, vaccination still prevents a large number of severe cases.
on average, Unvaccinated people over the age of 60 are nine times more likely to develop serious diseases than those who have been vaccinated. The BBC’s Schreyer recalls that the rate among young people is twice as high.
Head notes that according to recent surveys, nearly 60% of hospitalizations in Israel are for fully vaccinated people. However, these numbers do not necessarily mean that vaccines have lost their effectiveness.
“The same kind of trend has been observed in the UK and may simply reflect the fact that older people are more likely to be vaccinated and at the same time more susceptible to disease, which are factors that combine to increase Covid-19 cases and deaths among those vaccinated,” Head explains.
For Head, another important factor is how fast Israel is Discontinued Restrictive Measures to control the epidemic.
It quoted Asher Salmon, director of the Health Ministry’s Department of International Affairs, who suggested in July that Israel “may be lifting restrictions very soon.”
For Head, Israel’s case is “the latest in a long list of examples that show how transmission of the virus in society is facilitated when national policy encourages mixing of susceptible people with few or no restrictions.”
The researcher cited the Strictness Index for Measures Against Covid-19 created by the Our World in Data platform, from the University of Oxford, in United kingdom. This indicator measures the rigor of pandemic containment policies in every country in the world.
On August 28, 2021, Israel’s score was 45.4, which is less stringent than Israel’s. New Zealand (96.3), as the outbreak remains limited.
Israel has responded to the recent increase in the number of cases by implementing an enhanced vaccination programme. First, a third dose was offered to those over 60 years of age, but then it was gradually expanded to include younger populations.
On August 29, the Israeli authorities announced that the third dose is available to anyone 12 years of age or older who has received the second dose at least five months ago.
The third dose, says Professor Segal, “slows down the delta wave”.
Anat Eka Zohar, who led the booster study, said the three doses were “very protective, both against infection and serious illness.”
“The third dose is the solution to stopping the current outbreak,” he says.
Head explains that in those receiving the booster dose, the risk of confirmed coronavirus infection appeared to be reduced 11-fold compared to individuals who received “only” two doses.
However, the researcher warns, these conclusions are still preliminary, that is, they have not yet been subject to peer review.
Israel launches a vaccination campaign at dawn today in areas frequented by young people
There is intense global debate about whether there should be booster programs when many people around the world have not received even a single dose.
At the beginning of September, only 5.4% of the African population had received at least one dose of some vaccine against COVID-19.
Some experts also question whether it is sustainable to give booster doses every six months or once a year, as in the case of the flu vaccine.
The BBC’s Rachel Schreyer points out that while we have collected a great deal of evidence showing that vaccines are safe and effective for almost everyone, there are still points where we need more information.
A schedule of three doses may be required, as in the hepatitis B vaccine, where the triple vaccination results in more or less lifelong protection for most people, she notes. Or a combination of two doses and natural immunity can be sufficient.
People can have good natural protection after contracting the virus. But without a vaccine, the infection carries the risk of serious illness with long-term complications or even death.
Scientists hypothesized that repeated exposure to covid-19 infection, now with the vaccine and natural immunity protecting against previous infections making it less dangerous, could turn the virus over time into a recurrent disease, but with few serious effects.
However, others fear that this may come at a high cost, as serious infections still affect the most vulnerable, and many of the consequences of the so-called “long virus” are unknown.
Schreyer concludes that at the very least, a booster dose in Israel could provide more answers to some of these outstanding questions.
For Michael Head, the vaccination program in Israel, in general, has been very successful.
“But the state is also an example of what can happen when restrictions are relaxed too quickly,” he says.
“This shows that all countries, regardless of their current vaccination status, must maintain long-term plans on how to minimize the impact of COVID-19, both during this current pandemic and in smaller outbreaks in the future,” he adds.
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