According to data released by Israel's largest healthcare provider, Clalit, Sunday, Israel confirmed 1,164 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday. The country currently has 44,728 active cases of the virus. There are 1,394 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 858 of whom are in serious condition. Of those in serious condition, 276 are on ventilators. So far, 5,563 people have died.
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Over 4.25 million Israelis have received their first dose of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, and 2,881,825 have received both doses thus far.
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine is highly effective at preventing illness, serious illness, hospitalizations, and death, according to findings published by the Health Ministry's Epidemiology Division, Saturday.
According to the data, 14 days after receiving the second dose, the vaccine was 95.8% effective at preventing illness, 98% effective at preventing fever and other respiratory symptoms, 98.9% effective at preventing hospitalization, 99.2% effective at preventing serious illness, and 98.9% effective at preventing death from the virus.
According to Health Ministry chief Hezi Levy, "Thanks to the State of Israel's strong health system, which allowed us to achieve unparalleled, extensive vaccination of the population, and our ability for comprehensive epidemiological surveillance, we are the first country in the world that can demonstrate the effect of the coronavirus vaccine in a real, clinical world."
He said, "The vaccine significantly decreases severe morbidity and death, and we can see this influence in the country's morbidity data."
"Our goal is to continue to vaccinate all of the population aged 16 and over, and when the time comes, those under 16 to achieve extensive coverage in the population that allows us to return to the routine lives we all long for," Levy said.
Meanwhile, shopping malls and gyms opened for business, Sunday, as the government moved to further ease restrictions put in place during Israel's third lockdown. While all Israelis were allowed to enter shopping malls and street-front stores, those looking to work out at a local gym will need to present either a green passport or certificate of vaccination to enter those facilities.
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