Signs of Delta variant taming in Israel due to vaccine boosters

On July 30, authorities in Israel started administering the third dose of Pfizer/BioNtech’s Covid-19 vaccine to people above the age of 60. Last Thursday, the government expanded the eligibility for people aged 40 and above who received their second vaccine doses at least five months earlier and pointed out that the age limit might come down further.

Israel, which started its vaccine booster drive against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) a few weeks ago, is witnessing indications of an impact on the high infection rate fuelled by the Delta variant of the virus, Reuters reported on Tuesday citing experts. The Delta variant started spreading in Israel in June, with the government reimposing indoor mask wearing, limitations on public gatherings and ramping up testing.

Scientists also said that besides booster shots, other factors are contributing to the decline in infection. (AP file photo)

On July 30, authorities in Israel started administering the third dose of Pfizer/BioNtech’s Covid-19 vaccine to people above the age of 60. Last Thursday, the government expanded the eligibility for people aged 40 and above who received their second vaccine doses at least five months earlier and pointed out that the age limit might come down further.

The health ministry on Sunday revealed in its findings that a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine provided significantly improved protection from the infection and serious illness among people aged 60 and above compared to those who received only the first two doses.

Israel has so far registered nearly a million cases and 6,856 deaths due to the coronavirus disease. As most of the restrictions to curb the spread of the viral disease have been taken down, Israel saw a massive rise in its infections as it went from single-digit daily tally and zero deaths to 7,500 daily cases, 600 infected patients being admitted to hospitals in serious condition and 150 dying last week, Reuters reported.

However, with the beginning of the booster drive, the severity of Covid-19 is weakening among the first age group- which is those above 60 years. According to the country’s health ministry data and scientists interviewed by the news agency, more than a million people in this age group have received their third dose. The rate of Covid spreading among such people, which is also known as the reproduction rate, has been steadily declining since August 13.

Meanwhile, scientists also said that besides booster shots, other factors are contributing to the decline in infection.

Eran Segal, a data scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an adviser to the government said, “The numbers are still very high but what has changed is that the very high increase in the rate of infections and severe cases has diminished, as has the pace at which the pandemic is spreading,”. “This is likely due to the third booster shot, an uptake in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week, possibly up to 100,000, who now have natural immunity,” he added.

(With Reuters inputs)