Officials weigh booster for over-40s, as evidence grows of strong protection

As the health panel advising the government convenes to discuss opening up booster vaccinations to people over the age of 40, Channel 12 reports that officials assess that, without a third shot, some 100 vaccinated individuals aged 40-49 will experience severe illness due to the current wave of the coronavirus.

A top expert advising the government, Prof. Gabi Barbash, says that it is becoming clear that those vaccinated with a booster shot are 6-8 times less likely to have a severe case of disease, and are four times less likely to become infected than those who have received two shots.

It is also increasingly evident that Delta is not particularly capable of bypassing the Pfizer vaccine used in Israel, he says — rather, it is simply the waning effect of previous shots that is causing vaccinated people to fall ill.

The booster’s ability to once again protect much of the population from Delta once administered is evidence of this, he says.