Pfizer Vaccine: How Immune Declines After A Few Months – Data from Israel |

In December 2020, Israel launched a massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 with the BNT162b2 vaccine, which halted the pandemic in the country. However, after a period without almost any new COVID-19 cases, a new outbreak of mid-June 2021 was observed.

Decreased efficacy of the vaccine against the prevailing delta strain and declining immunity are the most important factors that may have contributed to this condition.

The Doctors of the Therapeutic Clinic of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Theodora Psaltopoulou, Giannis Danasis, Panos Malandrakis and Thanos Dimopoulos (Rector of EKPA) summarize the results of their recent study Yair Goldberg and contributors to the prestigious scientific journal The New England Journal of Medicine.

The researchers analyzed data from confirmed COVID-19 infections from 11 to 31 July 2021 from Israel’s national COVID-19 database, which included all vaccinated residents who had received the vaccine before June 2021.

Among the aged 60 years and older, the rate of infections during the period 11-31 July 2021 was 1.6 times higher among those who were vaccinated in January 2021 compared to those who were vaccinated 2 months later, ie in March 2021.

Among the aged 40 to 59 years old, the rate of infections was 1.7 times higher for those who were vaccinated in February compared to those who were vaccinated 2 months later, ie in April 2021.

Among the aged 16 to 39 years old, the rate of infections was 1.6 times higher for those who were vaccinated in March compared to those who were vaccinated in May 2021.

In addition, the rate of severe COVID-19 infections among people 60 years of age and older who completed the vaccination in January 2021 was 1.8 times higher than those who completed the vaccination in March 2021. The rate of severe COVID-19 infections among people aged 40 to 59 years who completed the vaccination in February 2021 was 2.2 times higher compared to those who completed the vaccination in March 2021.

In conclusion, the study findings show that the protection provided by the BNT162b2 vaccine against COVID-19 disease decreases a few months after the second dose of the vaccine is given. In addition, they support the administration of a 3rd booster dose a few months after the last dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.