Israel's fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot boosts antibodies fivefold: PM Naftali Bennett

As Israel reported a record 170,844 cases and 259 deaths on Tuesday, and country started to administer fourth shot of vaccine, Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, said that fourth jab will boost level of antibodies five-fold, a week later. Citing emerging evidence, and preliminary findings of an Israeli study, Bennett said on Tuesday that fourth dose of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine being given to Israelis d over 60 and medical workers will provide enhanced protection as has been established by scientists. findings of study, by Israeli researchers, are promising,  Israeli leader said in a video on Twitter.

“First of all, fourth dose is safe. It’s a safety parameter similar to what we saw after third dose — that’s good news,” Bennet said on Tuesday at Sheba Medical Center where study was conducted. “A week after taking fourth dose we see a meaningful rise in number of antibodies, a fivefold increase within one week,” he added. “That’s an indicator of a very high likelihood that fourth dose will protect  against infection to some degree and against severe symptoms.”

4 million in Israel w boosted

Israeli scientists conducted a study on at least 154 people from Sheba Medical Center who had received third “booster” jab of Pfizer vaccine before August 20. It was found that after just three to four months, vaccine’s efficacy had waned. UK’s scientists as well as European Medicines ncy at time were reviewing booster shot’s effectiveness in mitigating death and hospitalisation from variant. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has w given second booster shots in a trial to healthcare staff members and found that re was an exorbitant increase in level of antibodies to fight Omicron variant, as per state's media reports. 

“We kw that a week after administration of a fourth dose, we see a five-fold increase in number of antibodies in vaccinated person,” Bennett told reporters. “This most likely means a significant increase against infection and hospitalisation and [severe] symptoms,” he iterated. Israel plans to begin administering fourth vaccine shot for 150 people using Moderna vaccine this week Sheba hospital spokesman Steve Walz reportedly informed. Nearly four million of Israel’s population has received two shots and a booster jab against Omicron variant.