Israeli health officials announced on Wednesday that a third dose of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine was 86% effective in people over the age of 60.
The conclusions come from the first results of a study of thousands of participants in Israel, Reuters reports.
The study compared the outcomes of 149,144 people over 60 who received the third dose a week earlier with 675,630 people who received only two doses between January and February.
And the result of the examination was positive for about 37 people after the third dose, compared to 1064 positive cases among those who received only two doses.
The groups being compared had similar demographic profiles, explain those responsible for the study.
Reuters also wrote that the severity of the 37 positive cases, or if they had any previous illnesses, is unknown.
Pfizer has already warned that the effectiveness of its vaccine is waning over time, and that a third dose showed significantly higher development of neutralizing antibodies against the novel coronavirus, even in the delta variant.
Israel began giving third doses of Pfizer last month to counter a surge in infections, now the highest since January.
About 1.1 million Israelis – people over 50, health professionals and the immunocompromised – received the third dose of the vaccine.
William Shakespeare is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, history, and current affairs. With a keen eye for storytelling and analysis, he produces informative articles that help readers understand the people, ideas, and events influencing modern life.
