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Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend a press conference after a meeting in Jerusalem yesterday. Marc Israel Sellem/JINI via Xinhua News Agency/PA Images

Israeli study indicates Pfizer vaccine is 94% effective

Some 600,000 people took part in the study.

ISRAEL’S LARGEST HEALTHCARE provider has said that a study of more than half a million fully vaccinated Israelis indicated the Pfizer/BioNTech jab gave 94% protection against Covid-19.

Clalit Health Services said that in a groundbreaking project its researchers tested 600,000 subjects who had received the recommended two doses of the US-German Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the same number of people who had not been innoculated.

“There was a 94 percent reduction in the rate of symptomatic infection and a 92 percent decrease in the rate of serious illness compared to 600,000 similar (subjects) who were not vaccinated,” Clalit said in a Hebrew-language statement.

“Vaccine efficacy is maintained in all age groups, including those aged 70+,” it added.

Israel’s mass vaccination campaign has seen 3.8 million people receive a first dose, while 2.4 million have also received a second shot.

The country of nine million people, which is currently easing restrictions imposed during its third nationwide lockdown, is aiming to vaccinate everyone over the age of 16 by the end of March.

“The publication of preliminary results at this stage is intended to emphasise to the unvaccinated population that the vaccine is highly effective and prevents serious morbidity,” Clalit said yesterday.

It added that the study covered people who had received the second shot at least seven days before being tested, and would be expanded in future.

“With each additional week that passes, we will be able to make the assessment more accurate.”

Accuracy would improve as subjects are tested after 14 days or more from the second dose, it said.

Data deal

Israel has so far relied on only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, although it holds a small stock of the vaccine developed by US biotech firm Moderna.

Israel secured plentiful supplies of vaccine from Pfizer after striking a data-sharing deal with the US manufacturer.

The agreement stipulates that the Jewish state, which has one of the world’s most sophisticated medical data systems, will share real-time information with Pfizer on the vaccine’s impact, including on progress towards herd immunity.

Clalit is the biggest of Israel’s four health service providers, which collectively provide healthcare to the entire population.

They are directly responsible for vaccinations and collecting data on their impact.

© AFP 2021

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    Mute Kevin O'Sullivan
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:09 AM

    We be out the gap at the beginning of the summer and people’s lives & livelihoods could return to some degree of normality.

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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:33 AM

    @Kevin O’Sullivan: positivity on journal.ie???
    Still my beating heart.

    98
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    Mute Fergal Cussen
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:47 AM

    @Kevin O’Sullivan: my own guess it will be around this time next year before this is over. There’ll most likely be another massive spike in cases next winter, as with most respiratory diseases.

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    Mute Colonel Buckshot
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    Feb 15th 2021, 12:02 PM

    @Fergal Cussen: But if the majority of the population are vaccinated and it doesn’t result in significant hospitalisations and deaths, does it really matter? We don’t lock down every winter for the flu.

    65
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    Mute David CARLIER
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    Feb 15th 2021, 12:21 PM

    @Fergal Cussen: Only guessing at this stage we can t really know when normality will ever come back can be earlier than expected or later due to new irish strain resisting to guiness bad weather and vaccines …

    4
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    Mute Michael Drennan
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:41 AM

    Great country, an example to their neighbors.

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    Mute Mjhint
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:52 AM

    @Michael Drennan: yes but not without its shortcomings including with its neighbours.

    66
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    Mute Mary Fitzsimons
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:02 AM

    @Michael Drennan: are you kidding? You think apartheid is a so cial policy to emulate?

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:47 AM

    @Michael Drennan: Yes, credit to Israel for getting the vaccines distributed quickly. Great to see a country looking after its citizens by following the science.

    36
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    Mute Brynþór Patrekursson
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:51 AM

    @Michael Drennan: you know that is akin to saying England is a great country, and example to their neighbours in an poblaicht article on vaccine roll out?

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    Mute Liam O Connor
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    Feb 15th 2021, 12:32 PM

    @Mary Fitzsimons: well there’s apartheid in this country, I couldn’t get pup as my job in the tourist industry was just a week away from coming back and I couldn’t qualify for it , meanwhile my neighbour who hasn’t worked for 30 years enjoys all the benefits which I don’t, YES apartheid does exist here!

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    Mute Raymond Scott
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    Feb 15th 2021, 5:29 PM

    @Mary Fitzsimons: How is the underbelly Mary?

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    Mute Mickety Dee
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    Feb 15th 2021, 8:23 PM

    @Liam O Connor: I think you need some perspective

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:19 AM

    Great usage data being collected and returned now. Onwards world!!

    36
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    Mute Anto Harris
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    Feb 15th 2021, 2:09 PM

    What is the story with The Journal and Israel? Using AFP articles lately to portray it as some sort of beacon in the world. It is an apartheid state, refuses to provide vaccines to the Palestinians and is soon to be investigated for war crimes by the ICC. If any other country behaved the way they do there would be sanctions. But no, their best buddy the US gives it carte blanche to do whatever it likes.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 2:58 PM

    @Anto Harris: Surely Palestine, with help from its neighbours, could get their own vaccines for their own citizens.

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    Mute Virgil
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    Feb 15th 2021, 7:43 PM

    @Anto Harris: what is it with Journal posters and Israel? If the Palestinians had had the leaders Israel has had, the Palestinians would not be in their current mess. Gaza is basically a terrorist state- no elections, run by gangsters. I agree that Palestine should have its own state but it’s not up to the Israelis to give them the vaccine

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    Mute der Fussballmeister
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:52 AM

    Well that’s the one I want, or are we given a menu?

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:41 AM

    @der Fussballmeister: My understanding is you will get whatever vaccine your GP is provided with. All approved vaccines provide protection so whether it is 94% or 80% efficacy it is still great progress in the fight against this fn disease. Of course to the anti vaxers (who seem to be very quiet since the 3rd wave), the vegetarian option is always available.

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    Mute Aviationdub
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    Feb 15th 2021, 11:59 AM

    @Fionn Darland: so somebody who doesn’t agree with getting a vaccine because it’s not properly trialled and tested is an anti-vaxxer now? Just to be clear, my kids are fully vaccinated, as are my wife and myself, we also all got the flu jab this year but because we don’t trust an untested vaccine we are anti-vaxxers now?

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 12:16 PM

    @Aviationdub: Yes you are clearly a covid anti vaxxer. 94% efficacy versus potentially contracting the virus and being one of the thousands how have died.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Feb 15th 2021, 12:27 PM

    @Aviationdub: in what way is it “untested”? Are you saying that all of these governments, medical agencies, scientists are inflicting an untested vaccine on not only the world’s population but also on themselves personally and their families? I find that very hard to believe.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 12:35 PM

    @Aviationdub: Stop telling porkies there to suit your agenda.
    Per RTE website – the number of deaths stand at 3,948 as against 209,582 cases, that is a death rate of 2% not 0.02% as you have stated.
    2% death rate and you are worried about possible side effects of an approved vaccine – you need help!

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    Mute Aunties
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    Feb 15th 2021, 1:13 PM

    @Aviationdub: I agree. And if eventually I do take it , I’ll be getting the Johnson n Johnson vaccine … next year . I’m a front liner

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 2:11 PM

    @Aviationdub: 2% of Republic’s 5 million population is 100,000. That’s potentially 100,000 deaths if virus was let go unchecked or if we did not get the vaccines. You stated death rate was only 1 in 5, 000 rather than 1 in 50! Glad to be able to correct your serious misinformation.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 2:18 PM

    @Aunties: You seem to be fine with taking a 1 in 50 chance of dying rather than taking a vaccine that all the relevant authorities have approved. Ordinarily I would say that is your right but unfortunately to achieve herd immunity we need high take up of the vaccines by as many as possible.

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    Mute Aviationdub
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    Feb 15th 2021, 3:43 PM

    @Fionn Darland: i did reply to you saying you were correct about the 2% and that I wrote the percentage wrong but my comment was deleted for some reason.
    The death rate is not 2% of a 5 million population, the death rate is 2% of the 210,000 cases in Ireland which is just over 1.5% rounded up to 2%, the death rate from it of the population of Ireland is in and around 0.06% and the percentage of people who caught the disease is around 4% of the population, you just need to look and read the figures properly. I’m not against anyone getting a vaccination, I or my family will not be getting it until it’s fully verified and side effects known like all other vaccines. As I stated in my previous deleted comment, my daughter is due her HPV soon and will be getting it, i’m not an anti-vaxxer

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Feb 15th 2021, 4:08 PM

    @Aviationdub: Misinformation tends to get deleted. Once again you are playing down the death rate. Why are you comparing deaths to the population rather than the confirmed cases? The only reason the 5m don’t have the disease is cause of the severe restrictions the government has in place. Glad u are happy to take other vaccines. Hope you read up on the covid vaccine and come around to helping towards achieving herd immunity for those who need protection but can’t be vaccinated.

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    Mute Alex Marquis
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    Feb 15th 2021, 1:27 PM

    The study was quoted as saying that “the vaccine Israeli effective”
    Sorry.

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    Mute Ulick Magee
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    Feb 15th 2021, 3:29 PM

    Thank you President Trump for Operation Warp Speed.

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Feb 15th 2021, 5:39 PM

    @Ulick Magee: I think you meant thanks Angela Merkel, the development of the Pfizer-BioTech vaccine was funded by Germany not Operation Warp Speed.

    “The truth is that Pfizer didn’t receive any funding from Operation Warp Speed for the development, clinical trial and manufacturing of the vaccine. Rather, its partner, BioNTech SE, has received money — from the German government.”

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-09/pfizer-vaccine-s-funding-came-from-berlin-not-washington

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    Mute Joeohah
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    Feb 15th 2021, 5:23 PM

    That would imply those 600,000 who had not been vaccinated are sick or symptomatic! Yet 99.5% population’s dont get ill from SARS CoV2.

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    Mute Padraig Fitzpatrick
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:43 PM

    @Joeohah: 600,000 were in the trial, 300k would have had the vaccine and 300k wouldn’t. Of those who didn’t, say 1%, 6,000 people, would have got the virus. Of the group they did get the vaccine, 4% of 6,000 (240) would have got it. The figures/percentages I’m using are just for explanatory purposes.

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    Mute Padraig Fitzpatrick
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    Feb 15th 2021, 10:45 PM

    @Padraig Fitzpatrick: 6% not 4% but you get my drift

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