Israel PM: Studies found 4th vaccination dose boosts antibodies 5-fold

Israel is the first country to implement a two dose booster regiment.

Fiona Tan | January 05, 2022, 06:44 PM

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In a Facebook post on Jan. 4, Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett said on Jan. 4 local studies have found that a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine boosts antibodies five-fold.

Fourth dose is safe and boosts antibodies five-fold

According to Reuters, the reported boost in antibodies was found a week after the administration of the fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose.

Bennett added the studies also found "to a higher degree of certainty" that the administration of a fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose is safe:

"A week into the fourth dose, we know to a higher degree of certainty that the fourth dose is safe."

The studies were conducted at Sheba Medical Centre, where a second Pfizer–BioNTech booster shot was administered to 150 staff as part of a trial.

These staffs were medical personnel whose level of antibodies had reportedly dropped greatly since they received their third doses some four to five months ago.

The study will administer the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine to a separate group of individuals.

First country with second booster shot

Israel started administering fourth doses to those over 60, health workers, and immunocompromised patients on Dec. 31, 2021, where it was began with heart and lung transplant patients.

This makes it the first country to implement a two-dose booster regiment.

Bennett expressed hope that the boost in antibodies could signify better protection against Covid-19 infection or a reduction in hospitalisation and severe Covid-19 symptoms:

"This most likely means a significant increase against infection and ... hospitalisation and [severe] symptoms."

According to Reuters, Israel is experiencing a spike in Covid-19 infections, where daily infections have increased by over 10 times within the past month.

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Top image from Naftali Bennett/Facebook