Although the US Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved a fourth Pfizer shot, Israel’s Pandemic Expert Committee wants to administer this booster to medical personnel and citizens over age 60 because protection seems to wear off by six months.
Regev-Yochay is determining if the fourth dose is effective in stimulating the production of antibodies and if it is safely tolerated.
“This study is expected to shed light on the additional benefit of giving a fourth dose. We will [seek to] understand whether, and to whom, it is worth giving a fourth dose,” she said. “We will have safety data within a few days.”
The results will help guide Israel’s policy and that of the rest of the world as the Omicron variant is causing a new wave of infections. Many experts believe the current formulation of the vaccine is ineffective against Omicron.
The first to receive the shot was heart transplant surgeon Dr. Jacob Lavee, who said it was “one small jab in the shoulder but one giant leap for mankind in the global battle against the Covid infection.”
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett noted that “Israel is continuing to stand at the forefront of the global effort to deal with the pandemic. The citizens of Israel were the first in the world to receive the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and we are continuing to pioneer with the fourth dose as well.”
