Israeli hospital to give fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot in trial

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An Israeli main hospital will begin managing the fourth Covid-19 vaccine shooting to 150 staff on Monday in a trial intended to measure whether the second booster is needed nationally, the facility said.

Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv said the trial would explain the efficacy of the fourth dose and help decision makers establish health policies in Israel and abroad.

Israel reported 1,118 confirmed cases from the omicron coronavirus variant which spread quickly, with the number of people infected with him twice.

The health service panel of experts has recommended to offer the fourth dose of Pfizer / Bionech vaccine to Israel aged 60 years and over who received booster shooting at least four months ago.

But the final agreement by the Director General of the Ministry is still delayed in the midst of a public debate about whether adequate scientific information is available to justify a new booster drive.

Sheba Medical Center does not say how long the trial will take place.

“We will examine the effect of the fourth dose at the level of antibodies and morbidity and we will measure his safety,” he quoted Gili Regev-Yochay, said the study director, said. “We will understand whether it is worthy of managing fourth shots, and to whom”

150 Sheba medical workers took part in the trial, which according to the hospital had received the approval of the Ministry of Health, received booster shots no later than August 20.

Separately, the Office of Israeli Prime Minister Naphtali Bennett said he tested negative on Sunday for Covid-19 after his 14-year-old daughter was infected. He said he would isolate himself.