The first nationwide study of coronavirus vaccination, done in Israel, shows Pfizer/BioNtech’s vaccine works far better after two doses.
Two shots of the vaccine provided greater than 95% protection from infection, severe illness and death, researchers reported Wednesday in the Lancet medical journal.
With its small population, Israel was able to quickly vaccinate much of its population.
The study found the vaccine provided 95.3% protection against infection and 96.7% protection against death seven days after the second dose.
It was about 92% effective against infections that caused no symptoms.
“By 14 days after vaccination, protections conferred by a second dose increased to 96.5% protection against infection, 98% against hospitalization, and 98.1% against death,” the researchers wrote.
But people who received only one dose of the vaccine were far less protected. One dose alone gave just 57.7% protection against infection, 75.7% against hospitalization, and 77% against death.
The study was funded by the Israel Ministry of Health and Pfizer.
