Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine is just 39% effective against delta in Israel, but still provides strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization.
Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine is just 39% effective in Israel where the delta variant is the dominant strain, but still provides strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization, according to a new report from the country’s Health Ministry.
The efficacy figure, which is based on an unspecified number of people between June 20 and July 17, is down from an earlier estimate of 64% two weeks ago and conflicts with data out of the U.K. that found the shot was 88% effective against symptomatic disease caused by the variant.
Might not be that the 39% figure holds outside of Israel since they were one of the first countries to do widespread vaccination
“What we are seeing is a decision by the government to get as many people infected as possible, as quickly as possible, while using rhetoric about caution as a way of putting the blame on the public for the consequences,” said Prof Robert West, a health psychologist at University College London who participates in Sage’s behavioural science subgroup.
I.e., the UK is rolling the dice to chase herd immunity while the older population still has effective vaccination coverage. Revaccinating the population with booster shots is going to be another huge logistic effort, with a likely more weary public response.
I’m almost certainly talking out of my arse, but it fits with the Tories desire for a Mengele-technocracy response to the pandemic.
Might not be that the 39% figure holds outside of Israel since they were one of the first countries to do widespread vaccination
If I allow myself to be conspiratorial, that might put this into some perspective:
I.e., the UK is rolling the dice to chase herd immunity while the older population still has effective vaccination coverage. Revaccinating the population with booster shots is going to be another huge logistic effort, with a likely more weary public response.
I’m almost certainly talking out of my arse, but it fits with the Tories desire for a Mengele-technocracy response to the pandemic.
That is almost certainly what's happening. I think they are also trying to get it out of the way before fall/winter.
this is the take
So it wears off?
Every vaccine wears off, that's why the flu shot is annual and people get booster shots.
maybe. i also saw stufff about immunity getting stronger over time. my commenty was more about israel being weird with covid