Israel Covid Committee Recommends Booster Shot for Seniors

(Bloomberg) -- A committee advising Israel’s Health Ministry on the coronavirus pandemic recommended giving seniors a third dose of vaccine to help control the recent uptick in cases.

The “vast majority” of the committee was in agreement, although opinions differed over the minimum age for eligibility, ranging between 60 and 70 years old, according to a statement from the ministry on Thursday. The ministry’s director-general, Nachman Ash, will make a final decision on the booster shot in the coming days, the ministry said.

New infections and critical cases have surged over the past month, largely due to the more contagious delta variant. Recent data suggest that the efficacy of the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine administered in Israel wanes after six months, while still providing very strong protection against serious illness.

Earlier this month, Pfizer said it would approach U.S. regulators for authorization of a third dose of its vaccine, based on early data showing it can sharply increase immune protection against the coronavirus.

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