Israeli Researchers find Pfizer vaccine 60-80% effective against Delta COVID-19 variant

Tel Aviv, Jul 5 : The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 60-80% effective against the new highly-infectious Delta variant, scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem told Sputnik on Monday.Mass COVID-19 vaccination with Pfizer started in Israel oIsraeli Researchers find Pfizer vaccine 60-80% effective against Delta COVID-19 variantn December 20 last year.

“The vaccine is noticeably less effective in preventing Delta variant infection, than earlier, effectiveness is about 60-80%, compared with the estimation [f effectiveness against] Alpha variant [first identified in the United Kingdom], which made up over 90%,” the researchers concluded.At the moment, the Delta variant is to blame for more than 90% of new cases in Israel, Haaretz reported on Sunday, citing health ministry figures. Scientists say that the daily number of new COVID-19 cases has doubled weekly in Israel. The researchers argue that protection of at-risk groups, in particular patients of nursing homes, should be the priority.