Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Illustrative: A pharmacist prepares a syringe of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Seattle. (AP/Ted S. Warren)

January 23, 2021, 6:52 pm

Doctors seek review of UK’s 12-week gap between vaccine doses

Pfizer says efficacy of shot after such a long period is untested; Israeli virus czar had claimed 1st dose less effective than anticipated

By AP and TOI staff

Boxes containing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the Pfizer Global Supply Kalamazoo manufacturing plant in Portage, Michigan, Dec. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, Pool, File)

January 23, 2021, 5:34 am

Pfizer to supply 40 million COVID-19 shots for poor countries

US pharmaceutical company commits to World Health Organization’s COVAX program as wealthy nations snap up most vaccine supplies

By LINDA A. JOHNSON

Israel's coronavirus czar, Prof. Nachman Ash, visits at the coronavirus department at the Ziv hospital in Safed, in northern Israel. December 24, 2020. (David Cohen/Flash90)

January 22, 2021, 11:43 pm

Israel walks back reported virus czar claim that Pfizer 1st dose less effective

After Nachman Ash quoted as saying first shot of vaccine provides less protection than company initially indicated, Health Ministry says his comments were taken out of context

By TOI staff

A woman receives her second Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from an army medic, left, at a vaccination center set up on a mall parking lot in Givataim, central Israel, during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the virus, January 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

January 21, 2021, 10:24 am

For 1st time since October, Israel’s transmission rate shows outbreak slowing

As trend starts reversing, deputy health minister says that while infections are now waning, the decline is blunted by the fast-spreading British mutation of the virus

By TOI staff

Palestinians sit as PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh opens a hospital for COVID-19 in the West Bank city of Nablus, on January 16, 2021. (Nasser Ishtayeh/ Flash90)

January 21, 2021, 6:42 am

Israeli immunity hinges on Palestinians getting COVID shots too, doctors say

Epidemiological interest is clear, say officials, warning that herd immunity cannot be reached otherwise, but legal experts conflicted over whether Israel is ultimately responsible

By Aaron Boxerman and Nathan Jeffay

An Israeli health worker prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech coronavirus vaccine at Netanya stadium on January 20, 2021, in the coastal city of Netanya. (Jack Guez/AFP)

January 20, 2021, 5:16 pm

Pfizer vaccine appears effective against British virus variant — study

Research comes as spread of more transmissible UK strain raises global concerns, with top Israeli health official saying it now accounts for 30%-40% of new cases in country

By TOI staff

European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas at a press conference, January 19, 2021 at EU headquarters in Brussels. (Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / POOL / AFP)

January 19, 2021, 10:18 pm

EU aims to vaccinate 70% of adults ‘by the end of summer’

Bloc’s health commissioner says joint-buying strategy means countries already have enough doses to inoculate vast majority of population, but ‘vaccinations need to speed up’

By Marc BURLEIGH and Anne-Laure MONDESERT

Israel's coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash at the Jerusalem Municipality, on November 22, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

January 19, 2021, 7:33 pm

Israel’s virus czar says 1st dose less effective than Pfizer indicated — report

Nachman Ash reportedly says it’s not certain vaccines can protect against mutated coronavirus strains; 12,400 Israelis were infected with virus after receiving 1st shot

By TOI staff

A Maccabi Healthcare Services staffer holds up a vial of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

January 12, 2021, 10:31 pm

Initial Israeli data: First Pfizer shot curbs infections by 50% after 14 days

Studies of hundreds of thousands of Israeli vaccinees provide real-world info on efficacy; but health official also warns 17% of current serious cases had already gotten 1st shot

By TOI staff

A senior citizen receives his second Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Maccabi Health Services drive-in vaccination center, in the northern coastal city of Haifa, on January 11, 2021. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)

January 12, 2021, 10:22 am

Israel said to be paying average of $47 per person for Pfizer, Moderna vaccines

Country to spend NIS 1 billion on purchasing units for its mass inoculation drive, roughly the cost of two days of lockdown, report says

By Stuart Winer

A Hadassah Medical Center staff member receives the second round of the COVID-19 vaccine in Jerusalem, January 11, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

January 11, 2021, 11:51 pm

5.2 million Israelis to be fully vaccinated by late March – Health Ministry plan

Every week will see arrival of hundreds of thousands of Pfizer vaccines, allowing for 1.3 million to receive 1st dose and 1.8 million to receive 2nd dose in January

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein (C) attend a ceremony for the arrival of a plane carrying a shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech anti-coronavirus vaccine, at Ben Gurion Airport near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on January 10, 2021. (Motti Millrod/Pool/AFP)

January 10, 2021, 10:55 pm

Israel said on course to receive 400K-700K vaccines per week from Pfizer

TV report says health providers gearing up to administer 200,000 shots a day, with Israelis over 55 set for first inoculations this week

By TOI staff

January 10, 2021, 8:02 pm

Virus czar says there’s room for optimism as morbidity rate slows

Nachman Ash assesses national lockdown could be eased even if number of active patients high, as long as serious cases tapering off

By Stuart Winer and TOI staff

An Israeli man receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Jerusalem, on January 4, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

January 10, 2021, 7:14 pm

Experts urge dose of transparency as medical data traded to Pfizer for vaccines

Privacy activists ask if pharma firm is truly only getting publicly available information, decry lack of transparency and fear what will happen if records are de-anonymized

By Shoshanna Solomon

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein (R) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport as a fresh batch of Pfizer vaccines arrives on January 10, 2021. (Screenshot: Facebook)

January 10, 2021, 5:15 pm

New vaccine shipments arrive; Netanyahu says over 50s eligible from next week

PM says health providers ordered to raise daily target to 170,000 shots a day; nearly three-quarters of Israelis over 60 have received first dose

By TOI staff