Nathan Jeffay

Nathan Jeffay is The Times of Israel's health and science correspondent

Illustration of humam sperm (vchal via iStock by Getty Images)

August 2, 2021, 9:39 pm

Israeli MD analyzes billions of sperm, finds COVID vaccines don’t harm fertility

Hadassah doctor hopes to allay false fears vaccine harms men’s ability to conceive, after surveying samples from before and after vaccination and finding there’s no change

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative image: Herzog hospital team members wearing safety gear as they work in the coronavirus ward of Herzog Medical Center in Jerusalem, July 29, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

August 2, 2021, 2:21 pm

88 patients, 0 intubated: Israeli ‘precision’ COVID drug wrapping up early trial

Placebo study still to come, but inventor says medication ‘could be a game changer’ after around 9 out of 10 participants in Greek trial are released from hospital within 5 days

By Nathan Jeffay

An Israeli medical worker prepares a COVID vaccine. (Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)

July 29, 2021, 10:27 pm

Experts: Third vaccine dose for elderly might not help, but it won’t hurt either

Introduction of booster shots for people aged 60+ seen as safe, but one senior doctor says it’s ‘not clear enough what the real benefit is’

By Nathan Jeffay

A technician processing a sample for testing with the MeMed COVID-19 Severity test (courtesy of MeMed)

July 29, 2021, 5:14 pm

Israeli test tells COVID patients their chance of deterioration, on 0-100 scale

People who tested positive give a drop of blood, wait 15 minutes, and discover their coronavirus destiny; if severe, doctors empowered to avert the outcome

By Nathan Jeffay

Health care workers take test samples from a caregiver a at Migdal Nofim retirement home in Jerusalem, July 27, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

July 29, 2021, 2:15 am

Study: 20% of vaccinated health workers who test positive suffer from long COVID

Majority of 39 ‘breakthrough’ cases among 1,497 monitored were mild, but research author says persistence of symptoms among minority ‘raises concern’

By Nathan Jeffay

Prof. Eitan Mor removes a kidney of Israeli woman Shani Markowitz at Sheba Medical Center, for transplantation in the United Arab Emirates (courtesy of Sheba Medical Center)

July 28, 2021, 2:41 pm

3 women receive kidneys in Israel-UAE organ exchange, 1st with Arab state

Arrangement involving three families — two in Israel and one in Abu Dhabi — sees relatives secure life-saving surgery for loved ones by donating organs to others in need

By Nathan Jeffay

An Israeli medical worker prepares a coronavirus vaccine (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

July 27, 2021, 8:16 pm

Experts: COVID boosters for at-risk groups may help avert new variants

The immunocompromised, now receiving 3rd shots, are thought to be origin of new strains — so the move to bolster their defense may also be helping wider society

By Nathan Jeffay

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Minister of Health Nitzan Horowitz attend a press conference at a Maccabi vaccination center in Holon on June 29, 2021. (Marc Israel Sellem/ Pool via Flash90)

July 26, 2021, 10:58 am

‘They’re endangering us’: Why Bennett is suddenly locking horns with non-vaxxers

PM hasn’t said what prompted him to up the ante, but an influential expert panel is convinced that inoculating half of those still unvaccinated will stop the rise in cases

By Nathan Jeffay

Health care workers on duty taking swabs for coronavirus tests in Jerusalem, July 22, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

July 25, 2021, 4:51 pm

HMO: Early vaccinees are twice as likely to catch COVID as later recipients

Latest research ‘definitely’ reinforces argument for giving boosters to the elderly, says lab chief at Leumit

By Nathan Jeffay

An Israeli receives coronavirus vaccine in Petah Tikva, on June 6, 2021. (Flash90)

July 22, 2021, 11:51 pm

Israeli, UK data offer mixed signals on vaccine’s potency against Delta strain

Local research claims Pfizer shot now only 41% effective against symptomatic COVID, while British stats have it at 88%

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative: A pill is held in a hand (Rosifan19; iStock by Getty Images)

July 22, 2021, 10:53 pm

Israeli COVID vaccine in pill form to start clinical trial in Tel Aviv

As world talks of possible boosters, and with poorer countries struggling to get shots in arms, developer claims pill could be ‘game-changer’ by simplifying logistics

By Nathan Jeffay

A technician collects a swab sample for COVID-19, at a testing center in Tel Aviv (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

July 21, 2021, 10:58 pm

Israeli study claims major drop in vaccine protection; experts don’t believe it

Report says protection against serious COVID-19 illness fell to 80%, or 50% for over-60s; government adviser, physician and health statistics expert all criticize research

By Nathan Jeffay

SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, which cause COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells cultured in a lab. (NIAID-RML via AP)

July 20, 2021, 12:59 pm

3 existing drugs fight coronavirus with ‘almost 100%’ success in Jerusalem lab

If medicines pass clinical test for COVID, they’re also likely to prove effective for new variants, scientists say, as they target proteins that barely change between mutations

By Nathan Jeffay

A health worker prepares a vaccination against COVID-19 at a vaccination center of the Tel Aviv municipality and Magen David Adom, in Tel Aviv, July 4, 2021. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

July 19, 2021, 1:38 pm

Israeli study claims vaccines cut infection risk even in COVID-afflicted homes

Research was conducted before Delta variant, but deputy head of Sheba Medical Center, which took part in effort, calls findings ‘convincing illustration of vaccine effectiveness’

By Nathan Jeffay

Family members wearing safety gear visit a family member at the coronavirus ward of Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem on February 3, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

July 17, 2021, 8:51 am

Top immunologist: Douse Israel’s Delta ‘fire’ before it needs lake-full of water

Cyrille Cohen talks Delta dynamics and booster shots, raises concerns and sounds warning alarm while also suggesting variant may further immunize some people for uncertain future

By Nathan Jeffay