Prime Minister Netanyahu, earlier this week: “There is no sign that the vaccine we have does not overcome the corona mutation from Britain” // Photo: GPO
In a statement to hospital and HMO executives, the health ministry wrote that after consulting with the drug maker Pfizer and reviewing other regulatory authorities, it had decided to update the guidelines for vaccinators – and allow for a larger amount of doses to be used.
The ministry asked the warehouses to make sure to use five full doses from each vial, and if there seems to be excess left over from the preparation, it can be used to give an additional dose of vaccine. It is also written that the use of leftovers in the bottle to give a seventh dose of vaccine is strictly forbidden.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week granted a similar approval for Pfizer’s vaccine, an action that could expand the number of doses distributed in the country by up to 40 percent. The possibility of using another dose was discovered when pharmacists discovered that enough of the vaccine liquid left in the vials could be taken out for two more doses. The FDA said that these dishes can be used and not thrown away.