A fourth booster dose of the vaccine Covid-19 boosts antibodies to even higher levels than the third dose, but is not enough to prevent Omicron variant infection, according to a preliminary study in Israel.
Commemorative doses
The Israeli Sheba Medical Center administered second booster doses in a clinical trial to staff and is examining the effect of the Pfizer vaccine booster dose in 154 people after two weeks and the Moderna booster dose in 120 people after one week, he said. Gili Regger Yohai, director of the Communicable Diseases Unit.
The vaccines caused an increase in the number of antibodies "even a little higher than we had after the third dose," said Reger Yohai.
"Probably not enough"
"However, that is probably not enough for Omicron," he told reporters. "We know by now that the level of antibodies needed to protect and prevent Omicron infection is probably too high for the vaccine, even if it is a good vaccine."
The findings, which the medical center said were the first of its kind worldwide, are preliminary and have not yet been published.
Israel was the country that started the initial vaccinations faster a year ago and last month began offering a fourth dose of vaccines, or a second booster, to the most vulnerable high-risk groups.
The quarantine is shortening
At the same time, the Ministry of Health announced today that it will shorten to five out of seven days the mandatory quarantine period for those diagnosed positive in Covid-19, after an initial reduction in time last week, provided the patients are asymptomatic.
Until last week, the isolation period was 10 days.
The latest decision, which will take effect on Wednesday, aligns Israel with US recommendations.
The measure also requires patients to have a negative antigen test at home before the isolation ends, the ministry said.
Source: in.gr