Due to the vaccine: 40% of the new critically ill patients - young people

February 14, 2021   

The report by the National Information and Knowledge Center for the Corona Campaign of the Military Intelligence, published this morning (Sunday), indicates that the overall infection rate in Israel (R) dropped to 0.85 at the end of the week - continuing the downward trend observed throughout the past week. For now, each patient infects less than one person on average, indicating a decline in the spread of the epidemic. However, the rate of positive cases and the burden on hospitals continue to be extremely high. The report also noted that there is a clear decrease in the rate of confirmed cases and severe morbidity among adults aged 60 and over, which is likely due to the impact of the vaccination campaign. However, there is a noticeable increase in the number of new patients in serious condition among younger groups, who in the past week accounted for about 40 percent of the new severe morbidity. Due to the extensive scope of the morbidity and the fact that a significant portion of the population has not yet been vaccinated, changing the age mix of patients does not lead to a significant decrease in severe morbidity at this stage. The report indicates that 75% of the new confirmed cases last week were young. The Military Intelligence warns that in the coming weeks there may be a resurgence in morbidity, due to the lifting of restrictions and the widespread spread of the British variant, which has long since become dominant in Israel; this strain is much more contagious than previous strains and, according to new studies in the UK, is also up to 30-70 percent more deadly than the original strain of the virus. Therefore, more than ever, personal responsibility and strict adherence to the guidelines are required. The report's authors also remind us that vaccines are the most effective tool for reducing severe morbidity, even against the new strains identified in Israel (and in particular Pfizer vaccines that were found to be effective against the South African and British strains), and they once again call on the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Israel continues to rank first in the world in the number of vaccinations per capita and has completed nearly 3.6 million vaccine doses, of which about 2.2 million were in the second dose. The completion of the vaccination of the elderly population - those aged 60 and over - is hardly progressing, with 141% of those aged 60 and over having not yet received the first dose of the vaccine against the coronavirus. This is about 10 percent of this population, after deducting those who have recovered. It should be noted that until widespread vaccination is also achieved among those aged 40-60, there will remain a risk of serious illness in the population. The Military Intelligence Agency once again emphasizes the importance of adhering to social distancing guidelines, avoiding crowds, wearing standard masks, maintaining isolation and performing tests when necessary - even for those recovering and vaccinated. Alongside this, and particularly against the backdrop of the opening of educational institutions, the lockdown must be lifted in a controlled manner and action must be continued to prevent the introduction of foreign variants.