A fourth dose of Biontech/Pfizer’s Corona vaccine reduces the number of illnesses in the elderly – but protection against infection seems short-lived, a large-scale study in Israel has shown. According to these data, the effect of the second booster vaccination decreased after just four weeks, Israeli researchers showed in their study, published Tuesday in the renowned “New England Journal of Medicine”.
However, the protection against serious diseases has not lost any of its effectiveness in the six weeks after vaccination. However, further follow-up studies are needed to assess longer-term immunity, the scientists explained.
Booster seems to lower the death rate
The study of 1.3 million people over 60 examined data from the Israeli Ministry of Health between January 10 and March 2. At that time, the highly contagious Omicron variant predominated. Another study from Israel last month found that elderly people who received a second booster of the Biontech vaccine had a 78 percent lower death rate than those who received only a booster. Israel has been offering a second booster vaccination since January.
Will there be a fourth vaccination for people over 60?
In late March, EU health ministers asked the European Commission to examine a recommendation for a fourth vaccination for all people over 60. In the United States, the FDA plans to discuss the need for additional booster shots on Wednesday. A week ago, a second booster vaccination for people over 50 was approved with the vaccines from Biontech and Moderna.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
