High vaccine uptake in Israel tied to fewer severe COVID cases in elderlyIsrael's national COVID-19 vaccine rollout, which saw 84% of people 70 and older fully vaccinated by Feb 9 , was associated with less need for mechanical ventilation in the elderly.
The finding could show that COVID-19 vaccine rollouts help prevent severe cases at the national level, according to a study in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.The ratio of Israeli residents 70 and above who needed mechanical ventilation compared with those less than 50 declined 67% from Quarter 4 of 2020 to February 2021.
The researchers noted the decline began about 1 week after the vaccination program began Dec 20, 2020, rose briefly at the beginning of January before the country's