Israel sticks with 4th vaccine shot, sees Omicron wave waning in a week
(VOVWORLD) - Israel will continue to offer a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot despite preliminary findings that it is not enough to prevent Omicron infections, a senior health official said on Tuesday, predicting contagions stoked by the variant will wane in a week.
 After leading the global vaccination campaign last year, Israel is set to become the first country to offer a fourth shot (photo: dw.com) |
The fastest country to roll out vaccinations a year ago, Israel last month started offering a fourth shot - also known as a second booster - to its most vulnerable and high-risk groups. It has held off on expanding the offer to the wider population.
A preliminary study published by Israel's Sheba Medical Center on Monday found that the fourth shot increases antibodies to even higher levels than the third but "probably" not enough to fend off the highly transmissible Omicron.