'We know to a higher degree of certainty that the fourth dose is safe,' Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday, while experts have urged caution over seeking unapproved COVID-19 boosters elsewhere.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said early data indicated a second COVID-19 booster dose was"safe" and effective. Above, a medical worker prepares a vaccine dose in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 3, 2022.has deemed a fourth dose of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine"safe" and effective, while some experts are urging the public to wait for a final verdict.
Bennett cited what he said were the preliminary results of an Israeli study as he touted a"higher degree of certainty" for the safety of the second booster shots while speaking to the press at Sheba Medical Center on Tuesday,to Reuters. He also said that the data was showing the shots resulted in a five-fold increase in antibodies, possibly bolstering protection from infection and reducing the severity of illness in those who get breakthrough infections.
"A week into the fourth dose, we know to a higher degree of certainty that the fourth dose is safe," Bennett said on Tuesday."The second piece of news: We know that a week after administration of a fourth dose, we see a five-fold increase in the number of antibodies in the vaccinated person." "This most likely means a significant increase against infection and ... hospitalization and symptoms," added Bennett.
Israeli health authorities recommended the fourth vaccine dose for people over 60 and healthcare workers last month amid a global surge of infections fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant. No similar recommendations have been made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
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