Vaccination against Covid: Israel administers a 3rd dose to vulnerable people

A pioneer in the vaccine rhythm at the start of the year, Israel began on Monday to administer a third dose of anticoronavirus vaccines to patients with a weak immune system against the backdrop of an increase in Covid cases linked to the spread of the variant Delta.

The Hebrew state was one of the first countries to launch a massive vaccination campaign in mid-December thanks to an agreement with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer which quickly supplied the country with millions of doses in return. data on the effects of its vaccine developed with the company BioNTech.

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This campaign allowed two doses of the vaccine to be administered to more than 60% of the country's population, or even to about 85% of adults, which helped reopen cafes, bars and shops and a reduction in the number of cases of about 10,000 to less than 100 per day.

But in recent weeks, the number of cases has started to rise again against the backdrop of the spread of the delta variant of the virus, pushing the authorities to reimpose certain health measures such as wearing a mask in closed public places.

Targeted people with vulnerable immune systems

However, on Monday, the Ministry of Health announced that it had authorized the administration of a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine to certain people with immunosuppression, that is to say whose immune system is particularly vulnerable and does not respond sufficiently to two doses of the vaccine to protect itself from Covid-19.

"There is growing evidence that patients with immunosuppression do not develop a satisfactory level of antibodies after two doses of coronavirus vaccines, some may develop these antibodies after three doses," the ministry said. in a press release.

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"In light of the increase in the number of cases in recent weeks and the high risk it poses for immunocompromised patients with serious illnesses, these patients can now receive a third dose of the vaccine," the ministry added, publishing a list of the types of patients who may require a third dose, such as those who have had an organ transplant.

In the wake of the announcement, Sheba Hospital, located in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, announced that it had just administered these first third doses of the vaccine to vulnerable patients.

A sort of vaccine booster that could soon be followed in France, probably in the fall.