In First, Israeli Hospital Begins Clinical Trials of 4th Dose of Coronavirus Vaccine

A hospital in central Israel has begun clinical trials of a 4^th dose of vaccine against the coronavirus, in what is believed to be the first study worldwide looking at a 2^nd booster of the coronavirus vaccine. The Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv on Monday administered the second booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine to 150 test subjects, all medical staff at the hospital. All of those who received the test 4^th dose had been tested and were found to have low antibody levels, after receiving their first booster shot in August. A panel of experts for Israel’s Health Ministry had recommended a fourth dose of vaccine for immunocompromised people and those over 60, as well as health care workers. But Nachman Ash, director general of the ministry, has not given his final approval for such a measure and it is not known when he will.  The number of cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus is said to be doubling every two days with the number of known or suspected cases of the variant reaching nearly 2,000 as of Monday. Meanwhile, Israel’s Health Minster Nitzan Horowitz said on Monday that travel restrictions due to the coronavirus could be lifted as early as next week, including allowing Israelis to travel anywhere and allowing foreign nationals to visit Israel.