JERUSALEM – A study by the Israeli Sheba hospital, released this Friday and published in the scientific journal The Lancet, showed that the first dose of the vaccine produced by Pfizer reduced coronavirus infections by 75% at least two weeks after its administration.
The study is the first in Israel, and one of the first in the world, on the effectiveness of the first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine, which was measured based on a sample of just over 7,000 workers at the medical center where It has been made.
The results showed a low efficacy of the first dose in the first two weeks after its administration but a high efficacy after the first 14 days.
In addition to identifying a 75% decrease in the number of people who contracted coronavirus, the study also showed an 85% reduction in the number of people who showed symptoms of COVID-19.
According to the study, these data allow us to conclude that it is possible to delay the administration of the second dose in countries with a shortage of vaccines, so that more people can be inoculated.
However, its authors emphasized that further testing is necessary, especially focused on the duration of effect of a single dose, before deciding whether a single dose policy is advisable.
Few Americans have received the COVID-19 vaccine in the country yet. It is considered that the fears and myths that exist around the dose could be an important factor of the rejection that exists to the vaccine.
“What we show is that a significant level of vaccination can be achieved even with a single dose,” explained Arnon Afek, director of Sheba hospital and one of the study authors.
“Countries that need to vaccinate large numbers of the population and do not have the logistical capacity to administer so many vaccines at the same time, like the United Kingdom, decided to start with a single dose and postpone the second until a greater percentage of the population is vaccinated” He added, indicating that this study provides scientific evidence to support that decision.
Regarding the sample used for this research, Afek admitted that although the number of people is not particularly high, the subjects studied were constantly and meticulously monitored, something that was possible given that they all work in the hospital, where they were presenting daily reports on your health status.
According to doctors, there are COVID-19 patients who have experienced hair loss, tooth loss, and even facial paralysis.