Israel's Health Ministry on Saturday published a report showing that the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is effective at both reducing mortality and preventing infections.
The report, published by the Ministry's Epidemiology Department, analyzed data collected up until February 13, 2021.
It compared those who have been immunized with two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with those who have not been immunized at all.
According to the most recent data, the vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection, serious illness, hospitalization, and deaths.
Beginning fourteen days after receipt of the second dose, the vaccine is 95.8% effective in preventing infections, 98.0% effective at preventing fever and respiratory symptoms, 98.9% effective at preventing hospitalizations due to coronavirus, 99.2% effective at preventing serious infections due to coronavirus, and 98.9% effective in preventing death due to coronavirus.
Health Ministry Director-General Professor Hezi Levi said: "Thanks to the State of Israel's strong health system, which allowed us to vaccinate an incredibly large percentage of the population in a short time, and our ability to conduct comprehensive epidemiological follow-up, we are the first country in the world which can demonstrate the true clinical effect of the coronavirus vaccine."
"The vaccine significantly reduces serious infection and death, and we can see this effect in the State's infection statistics.
"Our goal is to continue vaccinating the entire over-16 population, and in time also vaccinate those who are under 16, so that we can achieve widescale coverage among the population, which will allow us to return to the normal lives we are all wishing for."