Mumbai: Israel’s massive drive to vaccinate its citizen against Covid-19 seems to have led to a decline in new infections and hospitalisation in what researchers see as early evidence of vaccine-induced herd immunity.
Three days after the second dose of vaccine among people aged 60 and above, there was a 60% fall in the number of new infections in this age group, a study by healthcare firm Maccabi Health Services’ KSM Research and Innovation Centre and health research firm KI Institute.
This is one of the first studies that link vaccination and a drop in infection rates. The study analysed data on Covid-19 infection and hospitalisation of more than 50,000 people over the age of 60 who received the first dose of vaccine between December 19 and 24, 2020.
These are early days, but researchers said this points towards vaccine-induced herd immunity in Israel. The analysis found that after 23 days, which is the time of the second vaccination, there was a “significant decrease” in hospitalisation among the vaccinated.
There was also 60% decrease in the new cases. The rate of infection among those above 60 irrespective of being vaccinated has also decreased, it said.
“Our current work represents raw data without implementing statistical methods (except moving average), allowing decision makers, researchers, and the public to form initial impressions related to the vaccine efficacy,” KSM-Maccabi said in a statement.
However, the study authors warned that despite these encouraging efficacy data, the basic non-pharmaceutical interventions like wearing masks, social distancing should continue.
Israel is among countries that have managed to vaccinate the maximum number of people per 100 population in the world.
No comments: