Maccabi Healthcare Services, an Israeli healthcare provider that has immunised 520,000 Israelis with both doses of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, has reported no deaths and only 544 infections a week or more after having their second dose. Of those infected, 15 people were hospitalised and four had severe illnesses.
The figure of 93% effectiveness was reached by comparing the vaccinated group to a large control group of unvaccinated people.
Senior Maccabi official Dr Miri Mizrahi Reuveni said that “this data unequivocally proves that the vaccine is very effective and we have no doubt that it has saved the lives of many Israelis”.
Another Israeli study has found that even before the second dose, the Covid-19 vaccine reduces the risk of spreading the virus. Patients who test positive for coronavirus and have been partially vaccinated have been found to have far smaller viral loads than those who have not been vaccinated at all.
This week, a vaccination centre for foreign nationals was opened in Tel Aviv, with more than 650 people receiving vaccines on the first day of operations. Vaccinations are free of charge and eligible vaccine recipients (over the age of 16) only need to take a passport or visa.
