"Pfizer Vaccine Booster Shot, 92% Efficacy in Preventing Severe Cases"

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] A study from Israel revealed that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot has a 92% effectiveness in preventing severe infections. Israel was the first country in the world to introduce the booster shot.

Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest healthcare organization, and Harvard Medical School in the United States compared 728,321 individuals (average age 52) who received the booster shot at least 7 days prior between July 30 and September 23, with an equal number of people in a comparison group who had received only two vaccine doses at least 5 months earlier.

The comparison showed 29 hospitalizations in the booster shot group, while 231 hospitalizations occurred in the unboosted group. Additionally, 17 severe cases were reported in the booster group, compared to 157 in the two-dose only group.

There were 7 reported deaths in the booster shot group, while 44 deaths were reported in the unboosted group.

Based on this, the estimated effectiveness of the booster shot was 92% in preventing severe infections, 81% in preventing death, and 93% in preventing hospitalization. Dr. Ran Balicer of Clalit, who led the study, stated, "The results show that the booster shot is extremely effective." The study was published on the 29th in the international medical journal The Lancet.

Israel introduced the booster shot in July during the fourth wave of COVID-19 centered on the Delta variant, becoming the first country worldwide to do so. Initially, the booster was given to those with weakened immunity and seniors aged 60 and above, then rapidly expanded to include those aged 12 and older.

So far, about 3.93 million people, equivalent to 42% of the total population (approximately 9.3 million), have received the booster shot.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.