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| - Last Updated on October 3, 2024 by Nivedita
Quick Take
A social media post claims Israel, the only quadruple-vaxxed country in the world, just broke the global record for daily Covid cases. We fact checked and found this claim to be Half-true.
The Claim
A social media post claims ‘Israel the only quadruple-vaxxed country in the world (also using mask mandates and Covid passports), just broke global record for daily Covid cases .’The posts can be found here and a screenshot is attached below.
Fact Check
Is Israel completely quadruple-vaccinated?
No. In Israel, a fourth vaccination is being offered to a population deemed to be at risk – those aged over 60, with pre-existing health conditions.
According to the data on Israel’s government dashboard, till January 25, 2022, 603,903 people have received four COVID-19 vaccine shots. This means only around 6% of the population has been quadruple vaccinated.
Did Israel break the global record for it’s daily Covid cases?
Yes. On Jan. 20, 2022, Israel reported 87,158 cases – the country’s highest ever total was reported the following day (here).
Despite the use of mask mandates and a “green pass” scheme, why are the numbers so high?
Data suggests that testing increased dramatically in Israel in January, and the country is now among nations carrying out the highest levels of tests per 1,000 people in the world.
Also, testing policy in Israel changed recently. From the beginning of January, antigen rapid tests also became a tool for people to determine whether they need isolation. Furthermore, the rates were likely to be decreasing in some other countries because of lower rates of testing.
The situation in Israel, where high vaccination rates coincide with soaring COVID cases, raises critical questions about the effectiveness of vaccine mandates and emergency support measures in other countries like Ukraine.
The four vaccine doses have been delivered only to a minority of the population, and despite a record number of COVID-19 cases, observed during a period of increased testing, the rate of deaths is at lower levels than in previous waves. Hence, the claim is half-true.
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