Both Pfizer and its partner BioNTech warned Monday that they had no evidence that the vaccine developed together will continue to protect against COVID-19 if the bullet is given beyond a dose beyond what has been confirmed in tests.
“The safety and efficacy of the vaccine were not evaluated on different dosing schedules because the majority of test participants received the second dose within the window specified in the study design,” he said. the companies in a joint, citing prime and rise. shots taken three weeks apart.
a man receives the coronavirus vaccine at a medical center in the Arab city center of Umm al Fahm
(Photo: Reuters)
“There are no data to show that protection after the first dose is maintained after 21 days.”
Germany was considering on Monday whether to allow a delay in administering the second dose to make supply scarce go further after a similar move by Britain last week. Separately, Denmark agreed to a delay of up to six weeks between the first and second sightings of the vaccine.
The Ministry of Health said Sunday that it is considering limiting coronavirus vaccines to one dose per person in Israel, as opposed to the two that the pharmaceutical companies say are essential for vaccination.
The idea was suggested by the ministry’s deputy general director, Professor Itamar Grotto, who is due to retire at the end of the month.
DG Deputy Minister of Health, Professor Itamar Grotto
The same data also appeared to indicate that the first dose of the vaccine was only 52% effective in the period between the first and second doses.
“A second dose of the vaccine would make the effectiveness up to 94%,” said Grotto, “but if there is a shortage of doses, it may be wise to follow Britain ‘s example and reach as many people as possible in this population. -injured by a single dose. ”
Professor Galia Rahav, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Sheba Medical Center
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
He said he is not saying this is the safest policy but that it deserves serious consideration.
Professor Galia Rahav, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Sheba Medical Center, Israel’s largest hospital, said the Pfizer test showed that two doses delivered three weeks apart were needed to ensure immunity to COVID-19.
“We are in the middle of a revolution and we can’t try people,” she said. “If we took just one dose, it would be as if we had done nothing,” she said.