Dr. Orly Greenfeld, the medical director of Magen Israel, today (Monday) convened a press briefing on dealing with the illness of the corona virus and the “give a shoulder” vaccination campaign. .
Prof. Levin on the vaccines for Corona: “Illusions must not be sold to the public” (Credit: Knesset Channel)
“We started this week giving the second doses of vaccines to over one million and 900,000 first vaccinators, along with bringing the additional vaccines we will also start vaccinating the next target populations and continue with populations over the age of 60, joined by 55 year olds and teaching staff,” said Dr. “We are seeing a slight decline in the rate of infection but still severe morbidity in over 1070 critically ill patients, with a positive 7.4%,” Greenfeld said in a statement.
She explained that “the explanation for the data is that there have been restrictions from the last few weeks, we see a decrease in contacts, and this is also in addition to vaccines. The high percentage of verified is explained by the much more contagious British variation. Between 10 and 20 percent carry this mutation in their bodies. “Patients, as more Corona wards open at the expense of other inpatient wards, see a burden on the HMOs and medical staff who need to vaccinate, treat and continue routine care. We anticipate that if this continues, the harm will come in routine care.”
Asked whether due to the fact that a high rate of risk groups had already been vaccinated and the information on the effectiveness of the vaccine, we should not have seen a decrease in the number of new patients, Dr. Greenfeld replied that “about 10 days after the first vaccine we see 60 percent efficacy reduction. Towards the second vaccine it rises to 80-90 percent, but full effectiveness is a week after the second vaccine. This means that most of those who were vaccinated with the first vaccine have not yet reached this effect. We anticipate that in the next three weeks after everyone who has been vaccinated with the second vaccine, we will see the effect. In addition, there are also the difficult patients who need to know that from the moment of infection it takes a week until they reach the serious illness. “Those who are seriously ill today are a product of those who became infected a week ago, so we do not see the effect of the vaccines on the serious illness and we will probably see it in the next two or three weeks.”
The rate of vaccinated over the age of 60 in the Arab and ultra-Orthodox population is low, there are authorities whose percentage is even below nine, how does the Ministry of Health plan to increase the rate of vaccinated in risk groups while opening up the possibility for everyone to be vaccinated?
“We see a difference in the sectors, but 72 percent over the age of 60 have already been vaccinated in the general population. In the Arab and ultra-Orthodox sector, this is the 40 percent area and we are making an effort to increase the response to vaccines in these sectors. There is already improvement.” “By clergy and leaders who vaccinate themselves and explain the importance and effectiveness of the vaccine. We also increase the stations where you can get vaccinated, deploy stations where you can get vaccinated in the population to allow them to get vaccinated as much as possible.”
Dr. Orly Greenfeld (Photo: YouTube screenshot)How many residents of a country need to be vaccinated for the whole economy to open up?
“Basically, speaking of this herd vaccine between 60-70 percent, of course it depends on how contagious the virus is. With the new mutation we do not know the exact percentage of the herd vaccine but it is the same order of magnitude. At the current vaccination rate, we anticipate that by the end of March vaccinated At least five million of the population in at least the first vaccine, this in addition to their recoverers already have the antibodies, so we will reach around six million with antibodies and that is the number we can open significantly.
A vaccine certificate will be given a week after the second vaccine is given, “said Dr. Greenfeld, adding:” It will be given for six months and we will see if more is needed. The certificate will allow you not to go into isolation back from abroad or if you are exposed to a sick person. The hospital and the Ministry of Health and it will be possible to print.The green mark will have several criteria – those that will be vaccinated / recovered and also given to those who do a PCR test that will show that they are negative, in a short time of 48 hours.We are currently assessing what the green mark will give and when we can start operating it. Hard work and we will soon be able to publish when and how it will be given. “
There are inquiries from Maccabi insureds that this is the only fund that does not open vaccines for everyone, there are reports that other health funds open vaccines in different places according to the priority. Does anyone oversee this Is there an exceptions committee?
“The guidelines and criteria have been thoroughly and calculatedly tested to allow at-risk populations to be vaccinated first. Our goal is to reduce the morbidity first and foremost. The guideline was unequivocally to prioritize these populations alongside medical staff. I congratulate those who followed the guidelines. Vaccines are a national resource and should be handled responsibly for this operation to be effective. Even with the vaccines that are coming now, so that we reach the goal we set, we went by priority with a goal of reducing the number of critically ill and mortal patients. Regarding exceptions – each fund has its own committee. “