Pfizer vaccine, Israel expert: "First dose less effective of company data"
"Many got infected between the first and second injection"
In Israel, well ahead with vaccinations, the first dose of Pfizer vaccine is proving less effective against Covid-19 than initially indicated by the US pharmaceutical company. The national coordinator of the anti-coronavirus strategy, Nachman Ash said, according to reports from military radio.
Over 2 million people have been vaccinated in Israel, more than 400 have already made the recall. Still, many got infected between the first and second doses, Ash would have pointed out, and it would appear that the protection afforded by the first injection "is less effective than we thought". The data would be "lower than those presented by Pfizer", claimed the expert, according to the 'Time of Israel'.
In a meeting at the Ministry of Health, Ash also said he is not sure that vaccines can protect against coronavirus variants. Ash would have predicted that he will not insist that more restrictive blocking measures be extended for another 2 weeks, as another week and a half could be enough.