Among those vaccinated against the coronavirus in Israel are 240 people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly after being inoculated, The Times of Israel reported.
Since Pfizer’s vaccine takes time to develop antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and requires injecting two doses of the inoculation, with the second one given 21 days after the first, there is still a risk of contracting COVID-19. It is also noted that if a person was infected before vaccination, they may still be in danger of developing COVID symptoms even after injection.
Moreover, there are concerns that people with immunity can carry the virus and spread it because it is not clear so far whether mucous layers are beyond the reach of antibodies and they could bear virus particles even after a person is vaccinated.
According to government data, the majority of those who received the coronavirus jabs reported no side effects, although some people sought medical assistance due to weakness, dizziness, fever, and diarrhea, reportedly caused by the vaccination. The Israeli Health Ministry also reported cases of people suffering from allergic reactions and developing neurological symptoms after receiving the shots with the vaccine.
Earlier this week, Israeli media reported that there were four cases where people died after getting vaccinated. Three deaths were proven to be unrelated to the vaccination, while the fourth case is still being investigated.
Israel has vaccinated some one million people against COVID-19, which is over 10 percent of its 9.2 million residents, the government said on 1 January.
On 20 December, Israel officially started mass vaccinations against COVID-19 after the country approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The priority groups to be inoculated include medical workers, students at medical schools, employees of geriatric institutions, and government officials. The day before the vaccinations kicked off, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first person in Israel to receive the coronavirus jab. He got the shot in front of TV cameras, pledging to make Israel the first country in the world to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Apart from the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Israel also has a vaccine purchasing deal with the US company Moderna. It was also reported that the Jerusalem-based Hadassah Medical Centre had ordered 1.5 million doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine and was waiting for approval from the Health Ministry for its use.