An Israeli government panel recommended administering a fourth booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines today.
Israel’s pandemic response team said that people older than 60 and health workers can receive a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This fourth booster dose will be available at least four months after receiving the third dose. The recommendation still requires final approval from the Health Ministry to go into effect, Israeli media outlets reported today.
Many countries around the world are offering booster doses to vaccinated individuals. Health authorities are partly concerned by the waning protection of the initial vaccination with time. Health experts believe the booster offers increased protection against COVID-19. The World Health Organization has cautioned against the booster in some cases. This is partly because of concerns about the vaccine supply in countries where most people have not yet received their first dose.
The Israeli government is particularly worried about the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19, which some health experts believe is more transmissible than previous strains.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.