Best protection against BA.5

An Israeli hospital has determined that COVID-19-vaccinated and Omicron-infected patients are the most protected against the transmission of the BA.5 subvariant.

A study conducted at Sheba Medical Center indicated that those who had both immunization and an Omicron infection produced the highest levels of BA.5 antibodies, as reported by Kan national television's Sunday news.

Patients infected with Coronavirus exhibited a lower antibody level than those injected but not infected with Omicron.

According to Prof. Gili Regev-Yochay, director of Sheba's Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, there is no protection for those infected with Omicron who have not been vaccinated against other strains.

"Neither those who contracted Omicron nor those who were immunized are adequately protected against the new strain," she explained.

According to the statement, the number of new COVID cases has continued to rise, with a key indicator of the virus's transmission reaching a three-month high on last Sunday.

The R-value indicates the typical number of individuals infected by a coronavirus carrier. If the number exceeds one, COVID-19 is spreading. After nearly two months of languishing below 1, it began to increase around mid-May.

According to ministry statistics, 102 patients were deemed to be in critical condition.

Salman Zarka, the coronavirus czar, stated on Radio 103FM on Sunday that there has not yet been an outbreak in the country. There are currently no plans to restrict the usage of face masks as there have been in the past two years.

"We have no limitations. Zarka asserts that there is still a long way to go.

As reported by Kan on Saturday, the Health Ministry will hold a meeting this week to consider the potential of requiring the public to wear a mask.

The ban on wearing a face mask indoors was removed on April 23. Still essential in medical facilities are face masks.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz met with health officials on Wednesday and agreed that there will be no further limitations on the transmission of viruses.

There have been five COVID-19 outbreaks in Israel since 2020. According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday, more than 6.7 million individuals have received at least one dose of the vaccine to date.

According to official statistics, tens of thousands of Israelis have died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.