Israel has proven that it can carry out a vaccination campaign in the event of mutations or vaccine attenuation
Although the virus is here: be allowed to be optimistic
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Coco
The State of Israel is beginning to reap the fruits of its success in combating the corona plague.
This achievement is a direct result of the impressive vaccination campaign, the success of which is reflected in a decrease in the number of infected, the coefficient of infection and the number of patients in critical condition in hospitals, along with the continued opening of the economy and return to normal life.
The eyes of the whole world are on Israel, which leads in the rate of the vaccinated.
More than five million people received a first dose of vaccine, and more than four million received two doses - so that in total, about 57% of the entire population of Israel was vaccinated.
The effectiveness of the vaccine is unquestionable, and the data prove it: all hospitalized patients, whose lives depend on a heart-lung machine, have not been vaccinated at all;
Only one of the 41 pregnant women hospitalized was vaccinated;
Conversely, only 8% of corona patients hospitalized are among the two-dose vaccinated.
The epidemiological studies conducted so far in the Israeli health system also indicate the effectiveness of the vaccine.
A study conducted at Sheba Medical Center and published in the prestigious journal "Lancet" found that the effectiveness of the vaccine reaches 94% as early as the fourth week after receiving the first dose.
Also, a large-scale study by Clalit Health Services, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that in vaccines there was a 92% decrease in infection and a 94% decrease in the rate of symptomatic patients.
Data from the Ministry of Health indicate a 99% success rate in reducing mortality from corona;
This is in contrast to the unfortunate figure of more than 6,000 Israelis who have died in the epidemic so far.
The main message of this data is that we must complete the vaccination campaign of more than a million Israelis who have not yet been vaccinated, and hope for a speedy completion of research and approval by the US federal authorities to begin vaccinating children over 12 years of age.
As for the continuation, as a first and vital value step we must return the education system to full functioning.
At the same time, a rapid and effective response mechanism must already be prepared to deal with the possible threat of a new mutation, which will shuffle the cards and take us back - as is happening these days in Italy, for example, which has closed again due to the spread of the British mutation.
This mechanism should address the aspect of enforcement and inspections of those entering Israel through Ben Gurion Airport and the land borders. Changing the vaccines and adapting them to new mutations, if they appear. In this sense, Pfizer's CEO's statement encourages the company to develop effective vaccines for significant mutations within 100 days.
At this point, the questions that remain open are the degree of infection of the vaccinated, and the need - if it arises - to repeat the vaccine periodically, as is done every year in the flu.
The first question is still being examined, although even now it can be said with caution that the vaccinated are both less contagious and less contagious.
As for the second question, Israel has already demonstrated exceptional capability, and will no doubt be able to conduct a re-vaccination operation in the event of the appearance of mutations, or a decline over time of the protection afforded by the vaccine.
Along with the hope and optimism that clung to the people of Israel, we must remember that the Corona is still here.
The mobilization of all of us to continue the vaccination campaign and adhere to the guidelines are the key to success on the way to ending the epidemic.
The author is a deputy director of Sheba Medical Center, a member of the Magen Israel team
and a former director general of the Ministry of Health.
