While the vaccination campaign in the country is breaking world records, we must mobilize in the effort and adhere to the closure guidelines • We are now in the last kilometers of the race • Interpretation
Among those aged 60 and over, the rate of vaccinators is 73%
Photography:
Oren Ben Hakon
The term “mutation” has been mentioned many times in public discourse, raising questions about the impact on the degree of violence, the rate of infection of the corona virus and the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The vaccine started with a second dose against Corona // Photo: Shmuel Buharis
Viruses "deal" with the body's immune response, natural or that obtained after vaccination, by frequent changes in the genetic material.
In the case of the corona virus - in RNA.
These genetic changes are called mutations.
Some mutations kill the virus and some enhance its ability to cause disease or evade the immune response.
The corona virus has so far identified more than 2,000 different mutations.
The corona virus, which appeared in the UK and is known as the "British mutation", contains 17 genetic changes that give the virus a 70% higher ability to infect compared to the original virus.
This ability led to the rapid spread of the corona in the UK, and probably also in Israel, and to an increase in the number of patients and the burden on hospitals.
However, the British mutation does not cause more severe coronary heart disease.
Moreover, Pfizer and Modernana vaccines have been found by scientists to be effective against British corona.
As for the mutation that originated in South Africa, it is assumed that the vaccine protects at least partially against the virus, although its effectiveness is still being tested by researchers.
The great advantage of Pfizer and Modernana vaccines is the ability to quickly adapt them to any mutation or genetic modification and produce a new vaccine that will lead to an optimal immune response.
In Israel, the corona vaccination campaign continues and breaks world records in the rate of vaccination of the population.
Within three weeks of the start of the operation, more than 20% of the residents had been vaccinated with the first dose.
Among those aged 60 and over, the rate of vaccinators is 73%.
Protection among vaccine recipients reaches 95% efficacy within four weeks from the date of first dose.
The five percent who do start will develop a mild illness.
A preliminary examination in Sheba and the HMOs of the effectiveness of the vaccines shows that already after two weeks of the first dose, we see a decrease of about 60% in the number of infected.
In light of this, within three weeks one can definitely expect a significant decrease in severely ill patients among the adults.
In the meantime, we must mobilize for the latest effort and adhere to the closure guidelines, hoping that this will be the last closure.
Now, even more than ever, we must do everything we can to prevent the increase in the number of difficult and respiratory patients in hospitals, which impairs our ability to give the excellent care we are able and want to give to corona patients and other patients.
There is reason for optimism: the Israeli government has increased its efforts and signed an agreement with Pfizer to receive additional vaccines that will make it possible to vaccinate the entire population.
Israel's impressive technological capability and advanced computing, which enables the collection of unidentified information and the monitoring of vaccines, while maintaining the privacy and identity of the vaccinators, convinced Pfizer that it should provide vaccines to Israel, which will be the first to vaccinate its population.
Moreover, thanks to these capabilities, Israel will also be the one to contribute to the global effort to return to routine, sharing its experience and knowledge of the entire world with the vaccination campaign.
Thanks to the public health system, the health funds and the hospitals, the technological and logistical capabilities, and above all - the mobilization and dedication of the medical staff - the task of vaccinating the entire population is possible.
At the same time, I believe that Israel will lead the world back to normal.
Today, we are in the last miles of the marathon.
Who will give and on the night of the upcoming Seder we will be able to turn around at the holiday table with our parents and celebrate with them the end of loneliness and the departure "Locksmith for Freedom".
Most importantly, who will give and remember that when we all, all the tribes of Israel, unite, no virus can have us.
Prof. Arnon Afek, Deputy Director of Sheba Medical Center and Director of the General Hospital, Member of the Corona Project Advisory Team, Former Director General of the Ministry of Health
