Nathan Jeffay

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

3D imaging of "Dalet's" jaw after injury, with the bullet shown. (Courtesy of Rambam Healthcare Campus)

October 18, 2021, 7:54 pm

After IDF soldier takes bullet to face, doctors rebuild his jaw in high-tech op

Two weeks after he was shot in the head, surgeons at Rambam Hospital used 3D tech to fix the captain’s face, which will soon be close to normal with the exception of some scarring

By Nathan Jeffay

An ultra-Orthodox man has his son tested for COVID-19 in in Lod, on October 17, 2021. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

October 18, 2021, 12:28 pm

1 in 3 Haredim caught coronavirus, double the national average – study

31% of community have been confirmed positive compared to 13.7% of other Israelis; think tank says behavior in Haredi society to blame, others question conclusion

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative image: a computer hacker (iStock via Getty Images)

October 15, 2021, 6:41 am

Hospital has ‘no idea’ of scale of cyberattack havoc; recovery could take months

Day after major ransom attack identified at Hadera center, doctors report minimal progress on solving problem; experts unsurprised, predicting normality is at least 3 months away

By Ricky Ben-David and Nathan Jeffay

Shaare Zedek hospital staff and an IDF soldier gathered around computer screens on October 14, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

October 14, 2021, 5:50 pm

After hackers cripple Hadera hospital, health systems gird for more cyberattacks

Medical centers take some systems offline to reduce vulnerability; Shaare Zedek IT chief warns ‘nightmare’ scenario ‘not necessarily over yet’

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative: A child stands on a scale (Dmitriy Protsenko; iStock by Getty Images)

October 13, 2021, 8:07 pm

To fight childhood obesity, Israeli docs prescribe app that gamifies weight loss

The pandemic has accentuated the problem; with kids struggling to follow health advice between doctor appointments, prize-driven software could help keep them committed

By Nathan Jeffay

A medic prepares a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on October 7, 2021, in Jerusalem. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

October 13, 2021, 1:47 pm

Top virologist says Delta defeated, predicts 6+ months of COVID quiet for Israel

New variants will be held at bay for now, says Rivka Abulafia-Lapid, whose optimism comes as number of new serious COVID cases per day almost halves over two weeks

By Nathan Jeffay

A woman feeling the cold inside a house. (LSOphoto via iStock by Getty Images)

October 5, 2021, 6:26 pm

Why do women feel the cold more? It’s evolution, so men keep a distance – study

Peer-reviewed Israeli research suggests males and females are programmed to prefer different temperatures; keeping the sexes apart curbs aggression, improves evolutionary chances

By Nathan Jeffay

3D illustration of the immune cells neutrophils (iStock via Getty Images)

October 5, 2021, 6:11 am

Israelis discover ‘traitor’ immune cells that first fight, then aid brain cancer

White blood cells initially combat brain cancer, but then ‘guard’ tumor and help it grow; Tel Aviv U. scientists behind finding believe discovery will lead to better treatments

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative: A container holding packets of artificial sweetener (BigRedCurlyGuy; iStock by Getty Images)

October 4, 2021, 3:43 pm

Sweeteners hurt the ability of gut bacteria to keep us well: Israeli study

Researchers find 3 most common artificial sweeteners cause a ‘breakdown in communication’ among microbes, potentially raising risk of obesity, diabetes and digestive problems

By Nathan Jeffay

A health worker prepares a COVID-19 vaccine in Jerusalem, on October 3, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

October 3, 2021, 7:05 pm

Israel data: Boosters cut elderly’s risk of COVID death to 50th of unvaxxed rate

‘Dramatic figures’ show over-60s who shun vaccines are not only at much greater risk of death than triple-vaxxed, but also have 65 times the chance of getting seriously ill

By Nathan Jeffay

Young Israeli students arrive for their first day of school after the holidays, at Gabrieli school, in Tel Aviv. September 30, 2021. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

September 30, 2021, 10:48 am

As Israeli kids go back to school (again), will COVID cause chaos?

Virus rates are falling, making some experts optimistic, but others say infection could quickly spike and mass quarantines could put the kibosh on classes

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative image: In front of an American flag, nurse Lillian Wirpsza (left) administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Shylee Stewart, a labor and delivery nurse at George Washington University Hospital. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

September 20, 2021, 2:34 pm

The FDA’s decision to limit COVID boosters was no snub to Israel

US panel rejected the boosters-for-all approach pioneered in Israel — for now. But approval for the most vulnerable shows it is embracing the Jewish state’s example

By Nathan Jeffay

Illustrative image: 3D rendering of bacteria

September 17, 2021, 3:25 am

Israeli ‘antibacterial weapon’ arms good germs to kill bad germs

Helpful bacteria fire ‘poisoned arrows’ at infection-causing microbes in Tel Aviv University lab; they ‘permeate a neighboring cell by brute force and release toxins into it’

By Nathan Jeffay

Tourists take pictures in front of Sagrada Familia Basilica designed by architect Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, July 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

September 15, 2021, 5:06 pm

Israel, EU reach deal to mutually recognize vaccine certificates

Deal will give vaccinated travelers access to Green Pass programs to enter public venues, but will not allow entry to countries like Portugal that currently ban Israelis

By Nathan Jeffay and TOI staff

Travellers at the Ben Gurion International Airport on September 13, 2021. (Nati Shohat/FLASH90)

September 15, 2021, 4:04 pm

Israeli holiday travel to Europe largely ‘stopped dead’ due to entry ban fears

Large-scale trips were expected over the High Holidays, but after Portugal and Sweden bar Israelis many fear further restrictions being implemented and rethink plans

By Nathan Jeffay