Israel is one of the first countries in the world to have fully vaccinated the majority of its population. To everyone’s surprise, Israel now has one of the highest infection rates. Israel has been consistently reporting 500 confirmed cases a day and one in every 150 people in Israel has the virus. But what could be the possible reason for the surge in cases despite vaccination? Here are the possible conclusions.
1. The Immunity Achieved With Vaccine Wears Out With Time
Israel had vaccinated about half of its population by March and had removed almost all the restrictions by June. But as the vaccine’s protection dipped around six months after receiving the second shot, Israelis had to re-think their strategy. The Delta variant is to blame for the surge in COVID-19 cases. In fact, Delta accounts for nearly all infections in Israel today.
2. Israel’s Vaccinated Population Isn’t High Enough
About 78% of the adult population in Israel is vaccinated. However, those between the ages of 12 and 20 contribute to a major chunk of the population in Israel. This means that Israel’s vaccinated population is not high enough. Israeli Inventors Design Face Mask For Eating Out Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.
Latest Israel Hospitalisation Date
17th of August 2021I just did some comparison graphs for hospitalisations in Israel from their government data. Absolute and per 100k of vaccine status.#israel #COVIDisrael #covid19 #vaccination #latest https://t.co/jULFJV2Hrj pic.twitter.com/1HtT420g9M
— Peter Malaczynski (@HaggleSearch) August 18, 2021
3. Israel Is Not Imposing Strict Restrictions
Israel is trying to slow down infections without imposing a new lockdown. While the country is placing caps on gatherings and pleading for unvaccinated people to get immunised, it doesn’t seem to be enough. Israel should impose stricter restrictions in public places to control the spread of the virus.
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Israel continues to see a high 91% rate of vaccine efficacy in preventing severe disease, even against Delta
There does seem to be a reduction in the efficacy against preventing infections pic.twitter.com/Yc0e7UB1CJ
— Eran Segal (@segal_eran) July 22, 2021
4. Two Doses Of Vaccination Does Not Defeat Delta Variant
To control the spread of the virus, Israel is now offering a third shot of the Pfizer vaccine in a nationwide booster campaign. Booster shots significantly increase protection against COVID-19. According to experts, a booster shot can reduce the chances of infection by 86%. The UK and Turkey also promised a booster Pfizer shot to help citizens planning to travel.
Conclusion: While lockdown is not a solution, the triple dose can help curb the current infection outbreak in Israel and the rest of the world.