The effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in preventing covid-19 infection has dropped from 91.2% to 64% in Israel since March, amid the spread of the Delta variant of coronavirus, first identified in India. The information was released this Monday (5.Jul.2021) by the Ministry of Health of Israel, according to informed the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. At the beginning of vaccination in the country, in March, the immunizing agent was 99% effective in preventing symptomatic cases of covid.
The vaccine, however, remains effective in preventing hospitalizations and severe symptoms: it is 93% effective. The WHO (World Health Organization) requires an efficacy of at least 50% for immunizers to be used against covid-19.
The drop in efficacy should not require the application of a 3rd dose of the vaccine, according to the country’s health authorities.
A study by the Hebrew University of Israel concludes that Pfizer’s vaccine is 70% effective against the Delta variant. The data was reported by the newspaper The Times of Israel on Sunday (4.Jul).
The value is within BioNTech’s expectations. Tests carried out by the German biotechnology company in late May showed an immunizing efficacy of 70% to 75% against the Delta variant.
WHO pointed out that the Indian variant is at risk for more transmissibility and features that could make vaccines less effective.
The presence of the variant made the Israeli government back down on easing restrictive measures against the coronavirus in late June. Among the rules imposed is the mandatory use of masks indoors. According to the The Wall Street Journal, about half of the infected people had already been vaccinated with Pfizer’s immunizing agent. Health officials in the country believe that 90% of new infections were caused by the Delta variant.
Experts in the country said that children under 16, who, for the most part, have not yet been vaccinated, are responsible for approximately 50% of new cases. For this reason, the government decided to expand the vaccination campaign to cover children and adolescents aged 12 to 15 years.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/pfizer-vaccine-is-64-effective-against-delta-variant-in-israel/
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