How is vaccination going in Israel
In Israel, the resumption of the epidemic is still under control thanks to mass vaccination. The in-depth study of the newspaper Le Monde
Israel has also reinstated restrictions in the face of the sharp rise in positive cases and will provide a third dose of the vaccine to people over 60 next week.
The Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv – we read in Le Monde – has reopened the Covid-19 unit, which had been closed in the spring; a dozen patients are currently being treated there. Across Israel, for several weeks, the epidemic has restarted due to the Delta variant: 90% of infections in the country are now due to this new mutation. The Jewish state has recorded more than 2,000 positive cases per day – a record in the past four months. The hospitalization rate remains marginal but has doubled in one week with nearly 160 patients.
"In the same situation as six months ago, with a highly contagious new variant and low vaccination rates because we were at the start of the campaign, we had 1,300 deaths," says Nadav Davidovitch, a member of the government-advising committee on Covid-19. . He warns, however, that the epidemic, which now has a reproduction rate of around 1.4, is growing rapidly: "It will not lead to the collapse of the system, but it could end up weighing on us."
In early June, however, the specter of Covid-19 seemed to be permanently receding in the country. Most restrictions had been lifted, masks were no longer required indoors and out, and concert halls, theaters and nightclubs resumed their normal activities. Israel quickly and quickly vaccinated its approximately 9 million inhabitants; today, 90% of those over 50 and between 85% and 89% of 20-49 have already received their two doses. Several factors explain the success of this marathon, which began at the end of December: most Israelis joined, the Jewish state managed to secure enough doses in advance, and the authorities established an efficient system to administer them through the mutual network. country insurance.
AVOID SEVERE FORMS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS
Does the resumption of the epidemic call this vaccination strategy into question? No, epidemiologists say. Although, according to data from the Israeli Ministry of Health, the vaccine is only 40% effective in preventing infection from the virus – results criticized due to the nature of the sample chosen (research has focused on outbreaks of infection, with more elderly and young people) – on the other hand, it allows you to avoid severe forms of Covid-19. “When we look at the hospitalizations, we are at a quarter or even a fifth of the figures a few months ago, with the same number of new cases. In terms of death rates, it's unbelievable, there are hardly any deaths. Hospitalized patients are also discharged earlier, on average, ”notes Eli Sprecher, head of the dermatology department at Ichilov hospital.
The effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing transmission of the virus may be impaired due to the nature of the Delta variant or because the immune response weakens after a few months. The Israeli Ministry of Health has just announced that it will offer a third dose as early as next week to people over 60 who wish and who were vaccinated more than five months ago.
Experts have hesitated for a long time. "Because we were one of the first countries to vaccinate en masse, we have no one else to learn from," health ministry director general Nachman Ash said Wednesday before the decision. "The recall is safe," said Eyal Leshem, an infectious disease specialist at Ramat Gan's Tel-Hashomer Hospital, who was campaigning for the government to quickly implement the measure. More than 2,000 people with weakened immune systems have already received a third injection in the country, with no serious side effects reported so far.
LIVING WITH THE VIRUS, WHILE KEEPING RESTRICTIONS
Meanwhile, the country continues to vaccinate younger people, who, unlike previous waves, are vectors for rapid transmission of the virus. After some initial reluctance, the campaign "is working, even if it is not as successful as with adults," says Eli Sprecher: just under 40% of people over 12 have been vaccinated. On Sunday, the government assured that the school year will go on as planned. This is the creed of the new coalition that has been in power for a few weeks: living with the virus, while maintaining some restrictions. “The simplest thing would be to go back to the accordion lock policy – confine and reopen, close, open. But this is not the right way, ”Prime Minister Nafatali Bennett repeated on Sunday 25 July.
A few days earlier, he had adopted a much harsher tone against the million vaccine-eligible Israelis who had not yet been vaccinated, a first in the country that had hitherto operated rather on an incentive basis: “The no-vax are putting in the environment and the freedom of Israeli citizens are threatened. They jeopardize our freedom to work, study and be with our families. They are hurting everyone. "
Professor Davidovitch advocates a less guilty approach: "The work must be done at the level of local authorities", to encourage and also to flush out the false information circulating about the vaccine, particularly its alleged effects on fertility. In addition to the emphasis on vaccination, Israel reintroduced measures that were removed in the spring: a mandatory green pass (vaccination certificate, Covid-19 cure or negative test) for events of more than 100 people, mandatory wearing of masks at home, and restrictions on travel abroad – some countries are banned completely, others are subject to a seven-day quarantine upon return.
The rapid tests will also be made more widely available in the coming weeks, the health ministry promised. "We are in a new phase, where the vaccine allows us greater flexibility, but we must continue to act" with restrictions adapted to the progression of cases, noted Nadav Davidovitch. “I don't think we can completely stop the new wave, we have to learn to live with it, but that doesn't mean we should remain passive and let the virus spread, as some in the UK are claiming. This is very dangerous, ”he adds.
(Extract from the foreign press review by Epr Comunicazione)
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/come-va-la-vaccinazione-in-israele/ on Sat, 31 Jul 2021 06:16:18 +0000.