Israeli research shows that the coronavirus vaccine produced by Pfizer not only protects those vaccinated against COVID-19, but also helps prevent the spread of the disease by immune people.
The question of whether the vaccine will help prevent those who received it from still being carriers has been a key issue, as vaccinations have been launched around the world.
A woman is inoculated against coronavirus at a vaccination center in Jerusalem
(Photo: AFP)
Clinical research by Israel’s largest health fund, Clalit, has shown a significant decrease in infections in 200,000 people aged 60 and over two weeks after the first vaccinations. Not all of the 200,000 people involved in the research received the vaccination.
Prof. Ran Balicer, head of innovation at Clalit, says there is no visible effect on overall infection rates on days 5-12 after the first two-stage vaccination dose.
According to the data, there was a slight decrease in morbidity on day 13, but by day 14 there was a 33% decrease in the spread of the disease between those who were vaccinated and those who were not.
Pfizer vaccine
(Photo: AFP)
Israel began vaccinating its population using the Pfizer vaccine on December 20, 2020. So far, the country has given the first of the two shots nearly 2 million people and has already begun administering the second dose.
This is the first evidence that the Pfizer vaccine not only prevents a person from contracting COVID-19 after exposure to the coronavirus, but also prevents that exposed person from transmitting the virus to others.
It is not yet clear whether the first dose of the vaccine reduces morbidity by more than 33%, or what the percentage is after the second dose, but Israeli health experts believe the data show a significant decrease in the spread of the virus.
Prof. Ran Balicer, Head of Innovation at Clalit HMO
(Photo: Orel Cohen)
Prof. Balicer said that although the results are only preliminary, they are “very encouraging”.
“It is important to note that these results do not show that there is complete protection against the disease,” he said.
“Therefore, those who have been vaccinated must still be careful, wear a face mask and obey public health orders” to protect those around them.
Balicer said experts hope to show in the coming weeks that the vaccine also helps reduce severe cases of COVID and hospitalization for people who have been infected.