Covid-19: Israeli caregivers receive fourth dose of vaccine

Europe 1 with AFP 4:32 p.m., December 27, 2021, modified at 4:33 p.m., December 27, 2021

An Israeli hospital on Monday began administering a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine to its caregivers, as part of a clinical trial expected to precede a nationwide campaign whose launch date has not yet been announced.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said last Wednesday that all Israelis over 60 and medical staff will be entitled to a fourth dose, as the country struggles to contain the spread of the Omicron variant, but the decision has yet to be made. approved by the Ministry of Health.

150 volunteer caregivers injected

Sheba Hospital, a suburb of Tel Aviv, on Monday launched the vaccination of 150 volunteer caregivers who received a third dose more than four months ago and whose number of antibodies appears to have decreased. Administering a fourth dose will assess the possible rise in antibodies and the onset of side effects, and whether or not it reduces the risk of infection, said Gili Regev-Yochay, director. from the infectious disease department of the hospital. Caregivers will be monitored for six months, she said.

The Ministry of Health has approved this clinical study to verify the effectiveness of the fourth dose, told AFP Gal Rotem Golan, a spokesperson.

The ministry's director general, Nachman Ash, wants time to study the severity of the Omicron variant infections before initiating nationwide vaccination, according to Israeli media.

Restrictions on access to the territory

Israeli authorities last week tightened travel restrictions to combat the spread of the Omicron variant, adding the United States to its red list of countries to which Israelis are banned from traveling.

The list, on which France already appeared, includes nearly 70 countries.

Some 4.2 of Israel's 9.3 million people have received three doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

Children aged five to eleven are being vaccinated.