Data showed 94% fewer symptomatic coronavirus cases and 92% fewer cases of serious illness among those vaccinated.
The Pfizer vaccine not only prevents infection but also reduces the risk of contracting a serious case of COVID-19, new data released Sunday by Clalit Health Services shows.
The data, which was based on a study of 1,200,000 people – 600,000 who received the vaccine and 600,000 who did not – showed 94% fewer symptomatic coronavirus cases and 92% fewer cases of serious illness among those who were vaccinated.
The study showed that the vaccine was equally as effective among people 70 and older as it was among younger participants. Among those who were vaccinated, some 170,000 people were over the age of 60.
It was also found that the Pfizer vaccine is most effective one week after the second dose, mirroring the company’s own clinical studies.
In a preliminary examination of the results, after 14 days or more had passed since people received their second dose, the vaccines were found to have even higher efficacy for the prevention of symptomatic and severe disease, said Prof. Ran Balicer, Clalit’s chief of innovation.
