Health Ministry: 4th vaccine dose triples protection from serious illness for ages 60+

The Health Ministry says the fourth vaccine dose for those aged 60 and up offers a threefold protection against serious illness and twofold protection against infection in the current wave driven by the Omicron variant.

The ministry says the figures are the result of initial analysis by experts from various leading academic and health institutions, and compare the fourth vaccine with those who have received three doses at least four months ago.

The figures are based on 400,000 Israelis who received the fourth vaccine and 600,000 who received three doses, with the ministry stressing that the methodology is similar to previous papers the experts have published in the peer-reviewed New England Journal of Medicine.

The initial results will be updated over time as more data comes in.