Israeli research shows that the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer not only protects those who have received the vaccine from being contracted from COVID-19, but also helps to preventing immune people from spreading the disease to others.
The question of whether the vaccine would help prevent those who received it from remaining carriers was a key issue as the lies were spread all over the world.
A woman is being protected against coronavirus at a vaccination center in Jerusalem
(Photo: AFP)
A clinical study conducted by the largest health fund in Israel Clalit showed that there was a significant reduction in infections among 200,000 people aged 60 and over two weeks after the first vaccine was given. Not all 200,000 people involved in the research had been vaccinated.
Prof. Ran Balicer, head of innovation at Clalit, says there is no visible effect on generalized infection rates for days 5 to 12 after the first dose of the two-stage vaccine is given.
According to the data, there was a small drop in morbidity on day 13, but by day 14 there was a 33% drop in the spread of the disease between those who received the vaccine and those who did not.
The Pfizer vaccine
(Photo: AFP)
Israel started vaccinating its people using the Pfizer vaccine on December 20, 2020. To date, the country has delivered the first of two blows to nearly 2 million people and has started the second dose administration.
This is the first evidence that the Pfizer vaccine not only prevents a person from getting a contract from COVID-19 after being exposed to the coronavirus, but that it also prevent that open person from spreading the virus to others.
It is not yet clear whether the first vaccine dose reduces morbidity by more than 33%, or what percentage it would be after the second dose, but Israeli health experts believe the data show a fall major in the spread of the virus.
Prof. Ran Balicer, head of innovation at Clalit HMO
(Photo: Orel Cohen)
Prof. Balicer said the results, while predictable, are “very encouraging.”
“It’s important to remember that these results do not show full protection from the disease,” he said.
“Therefore, those who have been vaccinated still need to be careful, wear a face mask and follow public health prescriptions” to protect those around them.
Balicer said experts hope to confirm in the coming weeks that the vaccine is also helping to reduce the incidence of COVID and hospitalization for infected people.