coronavirus vaccine

A child receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Jerusalem on December 30, 2021 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

September 8, 2023, 12:00 pm

As COVID variant Pirola gathers pace, Health Ministry mum on plans to fend off threat

With cases mounting in Israel and abroad, some are raising alarms and making moves to combat the fresh coronavirus threat, amid concerns over a new vaccine aimed at other mutations

By Renee Ghert-Zand

US President Joe Biden leaves after attending a pilates class in South Tahoe, California, on August 25, 2023. (Mandel NGAN / AFP)

August 26, 2023, 4:48 am

As scientists track fresh COVID waves, Biden wants funding to develop new vaccine

US president says he will request money from Congress for updated jab; coronavirus hospital admissions rates rise but are still a far cry from past peaks

By Seung Min Kim

A nursing student administers the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center at UNLV, in Las Vegas, April 26, 2021. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

May 2, 2023, 10:12 pm

US says COVID vaccine requirement for international travelers will end on May 11

White House announcement, which also covers government employees, comes with coronavirus deaths at their lowest levels since start of pandemic

By AFP

Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (left), receives the Champion of Global Human Health Award from Professor Yitshak Kreiss, director general of Sheba Medical Center, Washington, April 30, 2023. (Ron Sachs/CNP)

May 1, 2023, 4:51 pm

Sheba Medical Center presents Dr. Anthony Fauci with award for COVID cooperation

In one of his final acts as director of US infectious diseases institute, Fauci signed an agreement for joint research partnership utilizing Sheba’s unique blood sample bank

By Renee Ghert-Zand

Vials of a potential coronavirus vaccine are seen on an assembly line in a photograph released by the Israel Institute for Biological Research on October 25, 2020. (Defense Ministry)

March 15, 2023, 12:58 am

Researchers oversold Israeli COVID shot, wasted millions on flop — comptroller

State ombudsman faults Defense Ministry institute for mishandling project and misleading officials on costs, timetable and ability to produce homegrown vaccine

By ToI Staff

An Israeli woman receives her fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine in a private nursing home in Petah Tikva, Israel, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

January 25, 2023, 1:53 pm

Israelis should get annual COVID shots when virus cases low, vaccine panel advises

Top epidemiologist hails decision as wise move to deal with coronavirus as part of ‘new normal,’ but critic says case for regular population-wide vaccination not compelling

By Nathan Jeffay

British lawmaker Andrew Bridgen speaks to the media outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, June 6, 2022 (Alberto Pezzali/AP)

January 11, 2023, 4:46 pm

UK Conservative party MP booted out for comparing COVID vaccines to the Holocaust

Vaccine conspiracist Andrew Bridgen is suspended pending probe into tweet suggesting that vaccine program is ‘biggest crime against humanity’ since Nazi genocide of Jews

By ToI Staff

File - a health worker prepares a vaccine dose at a vaccination center in Jerusalem on January 4, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

January 10, 2023, 9:21 am

Israeli study: Omicron-fighting boosters cut hospitalization in over-65s by 81%

Largest investigation of the new COVID shots suggests they also sharply reduce deaths, calling them ‘an effective and essential tool’; research is not yet peer-reviewed

By Nathan Jeffay

A healthcare worker prepares a COVID vaccine dose at the Sheba Medical Center on January 5, 2022. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

December 20, 2022, 4:46 pm

Power of 4th vaccine doses is in keeping COVID mild, Israeli study finds

When it comes to avoiding ‘substantial’ disease, boost was 71% effective for Pfizer, 89% for Moderna, but 4th shots give only small edge over 3-dose regimen in preventing infection

By Nathan Jeffay

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, December 18, 2022. Argentina won 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended tied 3-3. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

December 19, 2022, 1:03 pm

Daily Briefing Dec. 19: Hanukkah ‘miracle’ at World Cup; hands off the Law of Return

Editor David Horovitz on how Qatar allowed Israelis to fulfill soccer dreams; health reporter Nathan Jeffay brings a blitz of optimistic Israeli research

By ToI Staff

Magen David Adom emergency service staff with a patient from the coronavirus ward of Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem on February 9, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

December 9, 2022, 2:29 am

Coronavirus czar calls for return to masking in public as infections climb

Salman Zarka urges Israelis to take precautions during Hannukah, get updated vaccine; Health Ministry warns flu, RSV viruses spreading

By ToI Staff

Palestinian demonstrators clash with Israeli security forces during a protest in the village of Kfar Qaddum, near the West Bank city of Nablus, December 2, 2022 (Courtesy Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)

December 6, 2022, 1:00 pm

Daily Briefing Dec. 6: Uptick in West Bank TikTok attacks; COVID vaccine study

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian discusses West Bank intel and Iron Beam project as health reporter Nathan Jeffay talks side effects of COVID shots and women’s health research

By ToI Staff

Illustrative image: An Israeli receives a COVID shot at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

December 5, 2022, 12:04 pm

Side effects of COVID vaccines often ‘psychosomatic’: Israeli peer-reviewed study

The more hesitant people were, the more likely they were to experience side effects, scientists found, after quizzing 750 Israelis on vaccine attitudes and post-shot symptoms

By Nathan Jeffay

MK Avi Maoz attends a discussion in the Knesset,on November 22, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

November 28, 2022, 1:26 pm

Daily Briefing Nov. 28: Netanyahu’s ‘mind-blowing’ extremist ministerial appointees

Editor David Horovitz on the homophobic anti-pluralistic MK tapped to oversee ‘Jewish identity’; health reporter Nathan Jeffay on promising COVID study and new med-tech

By ToI Staff

Illustrative image: A medical worker prepares a vial of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at Clalit Health Service's center in the Cinema City complex in Jerusalem, on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

November 10, 2022, 4:44 pm

4th COVID shot boosts antibodies for 13 weeks, Israeli study finds

Research shows defense against infection fades by 15 weeks, but protection against serious illness may be longer, according to researchers at Sheba Medical Center

By Nathan Jeffay