Israeli studies have shown that the second dose of booster needles increases the number of COVID-19 antibodies by about 5 times

Beijing, January 5 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government issued a statement on the 4th that preliminary research results show that after receiving the second dose of the new crown vaccine booster injection for one week, the antibody level of the vaccinated person increased by about 5 times.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in the statement that the results of the study show that a second dose of booster injection can save people from contracting the new crown virus or developing severe disease after infection.

A man receives a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine at sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, on December 31, 2021. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by Jill Cohen Magen)

According to the Washington Post, the study was completed by Israel's Hayim Sheba Medical Center and studied 150 health care workers of different ages who received a second booster injection last month. They were all vaccinated against Pfizer. Studies have shown that the response of the second booster injection is similar to that of the previous dose of the vaccine, and the vaccinated person may have a mild reaction such as low-grade fever and arm pain.

The researchers measured the level of coronavirus antibodies in the bodies of these vaccinators on the 3rd and found that the average increase was 5 times. Exactly one week before they received a second booster injection that day. Steve Waltz, a spokesman for Hayim Sheba Medical Center, said it shows that a second dose of booster injections is useful.

However, Hagay Levine, an epidemiologist at the Hebrew University in Israel, believes that healthy people do not necessarily need to receive a second booster because it is unclear whether the immunity generated by their previous 3 doses of the vaccine has completely subsided. Dexin News Agency said in related reports that increased antibodies do not mean that immunity against infections or diseases is necessarily enhanced.

Israel began to administer the fourth dose of the new crown vaccine to people over the age of 60 and medical staff on the 3rd, that is, the second dose of booster injection. Vaccinators must complete the first dose of booster injection for at least 4 months.

DeXin News Agency quoted data provided by Bennett on the 4th to report that about 20,000 people in Israel have been vaccinated with the second dose of booster injection, and about 100,000 people have made an appointment to receive a second dose of booster injection in the next few weeks. (Yuan Yuan)