Vaccine Begins to Slow Israeli COVID-19 Spread

Israel’s aggressive vaccine campaign has paid off, based on the Health Ministry’s new data. Three weeks after receiving the first dose of the vaccine, we have seen infection rates drop dramatically for those vaccinated. A 30% reduction in COVID-19 cases diagnosed from week one to week two alone was promising. During week three, the Health Ministry recorded an encouraging 92% reduction rate in cases.

Initial results of the second dose give even more of a reason for hope. Antibody levels shot up in patients who received the second dose of the vaccine, according to a study done at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer Hospital. The increase in antibodies ranged from 6 to 20 times what they had been previously. A few participants came down with COVID-19 after the second dose, but their symptoms were mild. 

This welcome news may impact the length of the Israeli national lockdown. Currently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel may need to extend its strict lockdown until infection rates are lower. The lockdown will not remain in place for longer than two weeks, but an upcoming cabinet meeting about the crisis should yield some answers. If the numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and new COVID-19 cases shrink over this coming week, the country should reopen soon.