A study examining the effectiveness of the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is yet to begin, even as the health ministry moves forward with authorizing additional shots for those at risk.
Sheba Medical Center outside Tel Aviv was scheduled to begin its trial on 100 volunteers this week after requesting approval from the so-called Helsinki committee, which signs off on all clinical trials in Israel in early December.
But the panel never authorized the test, Hebrew media reported. Reached for comment, the panel told Channel 12 that it could not disclose its internal deliberations on the matter.
However on Tuesday, the Health Ministry’s expert advisory panel signed off on distributing the fourth dose to people over the age of 60, as well as others at risk.
The roll-out was supposed to begin on Sunday, but two days later, Channel 13 reported that the Ministry of Health withdrew that decision during a meeting on the matter after reviewing preliminary data that suggested COVID-19 People with the new Omicron version of -19 are among the 50. And people with the delta strain are 70 percent less likely to be admitted to the hospital.
The United Kingdom Health Protection Agency’s findings add to emerging evidence that Omicron causes milder disease than other types – but it spreads faster and is better avoided by vaccines.
Israelis receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a health center in Katzrin, Golan Heights, on December 12, 2021. (Michael Gilady/Flash 90)
The Director General of the Ministry, Nachman Aish, has not yet approved the campaign for the fourth dose and is investigating data from UK,
If more such data accumulates, Channel 13 reported, Ash may not support the recommendation of a government advisory panel to offer additional booster shots at this stage and will instead refer the matter to further deliberation. can be sent back.
A separate report from the Cannes public broadcaster said Ash could make a decision about approving a fourth dose of the vaccine by the middle of next week.
Israel was set to become the first country in the world to introduce a fourth dose for certain groups.
Kahn said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett would like to start giving additional booster shots as soon as possible, but acknowledged that Ash has the final say on the matter.
the trick is done supported by many experts, although others have warning It may be better to wait for a newer vaccine that is compatible with the Omicron version.
Despite data that Omicron may not be as dangerous as Delta, the government still fears a massive surge in the coronavirus outbreak in the coming weeks, multiple networks reported on Thursday.
Cannes quoted a senior health official as saying there was a “dark week ahead” for the country, while Channel 13 said the health ministry was expecting hundreds of thousands of people to enter quarantine.
A Magan David Edom worker performs a COVID-19 rapid antigen test at a testing center in Jerusalem on December 22, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi / Flash 90)
According to the latest figures from the health ministry released on Thursday night, 1,420 new COVID cases were confirmed on the previous day, the highest daily tally since October. The positivity rate also moved slightly upwards, reaching 1.45% as compared to 1.24% a day earlier and 0.9% a week ago.
The fertility rate, or “R” number, also continued its gradual rise on Thursday, rising from 1.02 in early December to 1.34. The transmission rate is based on data from 10 days ago and any value above 1 indicates that the epidemic is increasing.
According to UK data, however, the rate of severe cases and hospitalizations remains low. As of Thursday evening, Israel had 9,930 active COVID cases, of which 123 were hospitalised, 81 in critical condition and 38 on ventilators.