The fourth vaccination dose with the preparation from Biontech and Pfizer increases the number of antibodies against the new CoV variant Omicron fivefold within one week, according to an Israeli study.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett presented this finding today during a visit to Shiba Hospital near Tel Aviv, along with study leader Gili Regev. “The fourth vaccination is safe and effective,” Bennett said.
However, the amount of increase in antibodies does not automatically indicate the extent to which actual protection against infection or disease improves.
Already 10,000 vaccinated four times in Israel
Israel had already launched a vaccination campaign at the beginning of the week for people over 60 and medical personnel, who can now receive a fourth dose. More than 20,000 Israelis had already been vaccinated with the fourth dose, and about 100,000 had made an appointment to be vaccinated, Bennett said.
Fourth-dose vaccinations for people with immune deficiencies had initially begun in Israel on Friday. The second booster had also already been allowed in nursing homes for the elderly.
Shiba Hospital near Tel Aviv had begun a trial of the fourth vaccination against coronavirus with Pfizer and Biontech’s vaccine more than a week ago. The hospital announced interim results on Sunday: Side effects were similar to those after the third dose, it said.
- source: orf.at/picture: Image by Tri Nguyen from Pixabay
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