The risk of illness from COVID-19 dropped 95.8% among people who received both shots of Pfizer’s vaccine, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.
The vaccine was also 98% effective in preventing fever or breathing problems and 98.9% effective in preventing hospitalizations and death, the ministry said.
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Tel Aviv municipality initiative for residents to receive coronavirus shots in with alcoholic shots on the side last week in Tel Aviv
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The findings were based on data collected nationally through Feb. 13 from Israelis who had received their second shot at least two weeks previously. According to the Health Ministry’s website, about 1.7 million people had been administered a second shot by Jan. 30, making them eligible to be included.
Israel’s ambitious vaccination drive has made it the largest real-world study of Pfizer’s vaccine and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he expects 95% of Israelis age 50 and over to be vaccinated in the next two weeks.
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A nurse in Jaffa prepares to administer the coronavirus vaccine last week
(Photo: AFP)
Previous reports from individual health care providers also showed positive results, spurring Israel to remove restrictions on the economy after weeks of lockdown. On Sunday, schools and many stores reopened to the public.
The Health Ministry has also attempted to role out a “Green Pass” app, linked to personal medical files, which people who have been fully inoculated or deemed immune after recovering from COVID-19 can show to stay at hotels or attend cultural or sporting events, but the website after many Israelis tried to log on over the weekend.
First published: 09:34, 02.21.21