Health Ministry: COVID Sickness Dropped 95.8% After Both Pfizer Shots

The risk of illness from COVID-19 dropped 95.8% among people who received both shots of Pfizer’s vaccine, Israel’s Health Ministry said.

The vaccine was also 98% effective in preventing fever or breathing problems and 98.9% effective in preventing hospitalizations and death, the ministry said.

The findings were based on data collected nationally through Feb. 13 from Israelis who had received their second shot at least two weeks previously. According to the Health Ministry’s website, about 1.7 million people had been administered a second shot by Jan. 30, making them eligible to be included.

Israel’s ambitious vaccination drive has made it the largest real-world study of Pfizer’s vaccine and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Motzoei Shabbos that he expects 95% of Israelis age 50 and over to be vaccinated in the next two weeks.

Previous reports from individual healthcare providers also showed positive results, spurring Israel to remove restrictions on the economy after weeks of lockdown. On Sunday, schools and many stores will be allowed to reopen.