Israel: cancer patients ultimately not affected by the 3rd dose

Israel announced Sunday, July 18, that cancer patients were ultimately not on the list of vulnerable people who could receive a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine, contrary to what the authorities had said earlier this week.

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The Hebrew state on Monday began administering a third dose of the vaccine to patients with weak immune systems, including some with cancer, considering that there was a chance that patients treated with immunosuppressants "

”.

But the health ministry finally reversed its decision, saying that after studying data from oncology departments on hundreds of patients, it was not "

" people a third time. with cancer.

"

" says the ministry. "

" he adds. Dozens of people with cancer have received a third dose since Monday, according to a spokesperson for Sheba Hospital, Israel's largest, located in the Tel Aviv area.

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.

The two laboratories announced on July 8 that they would soon seek authorization for a third dose in the United States and Europe.

The European authorities believe, however, that it is "

" to know if a new dose is really necessary, while the WHO is concerned about the possibility that the generalization of a third dose will be done to the detriment of countries whose citizens do not yet have access to vaccines.