Health Ministry: Recently vaccinated kids, teens, more protected against Omicron

Data released by the Health Ministry shows that children and teenagers vaccinated against COVID-19 are more protected against the Omicron variant than their unvaccinated peers.

The study, carried out in conjunction with the Weizmann Institute, the Hebrew University and the Gertner Institute at Sheba Medical Center, purports to show that vaccines given in the past few months are effective against the ultra-contagious variant.

Children ages 5-11 who received two doses of the COVID vaccine are 2x less likely to be infected with Omicron than their unvaccinated counterparts, the study claims. And those ages 12-15 who received a booster dose in the past two months are 4x less likely to be infected than their unvaccinated peers.

Overall, only about 12% of 5-11 year olds in Israel have received two vaccine doses, and less than 12% of 12-15 year olds have received three doses of the shot.