Dec 27, 2021 - Health

Israel gives 4th dose of COVID vaccine in trial

Axios

A health worker preparing a dose of coronavirus vaccine in Modi'in in October 2021. — A health worker prepares a dose of a coronavirus vaccine in Modi'in, Israel, in October. Photo: Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua via Getty Images

Israel started a trial of a fourth dose of a coronavirus vaccine Monday, becoming what's believed to be the first country to study an additional booster dose, according to AP.

Driving the news: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett last week ordered the rollout of a fourth dose of the vaccine to certain individuals in response to the threat of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

A Health Ministry panel recommended fourth doses for residents aged over 60, medical workers and those with compromised immune systems, but the recommendation still needs final approval, per Reuters.

Details: Fourth doses were given to 150 health workers who received Pfizer-BioNTech boosters at least four months ago, according to the New York Times.

The Times noted that it's unclear whether the Health Ministry would approve fourth doses before the study is completed.

The big picture: Israel has reported more than 22,000 coronavirus cases and at least 53 deaths from the virus in the past 28 days, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

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Israel gives 4th dose of COVID vaccine in trial

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