The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine’s efficiency in avoiding infections and symptomatic disease has decreased, but it remains very efficient in preventing serious illness, according to Israel.
The reduction coincided with the development of the Delta variety and the abolition of Israel’s social separation laws.
Vaccine effectiveness in preventing infection and symptomatic sickness has dropped to 64% after June 6, according to the Health Ministry. At the same time, the vaccine was 93% effective in avoiding coronavirus hospitalizations and serious illness.
The ministry did not specify the previous level or provide any additional information in its statement. In May, however, ministry authorities released a paper claiming that two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine gave more than 95% protection against infection, hospitalization, and serious sickness.
In a campaign that saw daily incidences plummet from over 10,000 in January to single digits last month, almost 60% of Israel’s 9.3 million inhabitants received at least one dose of Pfizer’s vaccine.
This prompted Israel to abolish practically all societal barriers, including the obligation to wear masks, though the latter has since been partially reinstated. Delta, which has since become a worldwide dominant coronavirus strain, began to spread around the same period.
Daily cases have increasingly increased since then, reaching 343 on Sunday. The number of very unwell people increased from 21 to 35.
