Quantifying the Population-level Effect of the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign in Israel: a Modeling Study

BackgroundEstimating real-world vaccine effectiveness is challenging since a variety of population factors can impact vaccine effectiveness.We aimed to assess the population-level reduction in cumulative SARS-CoV-2 cases, hospitalizations and mortality due to the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Israel during January-February, 2021.MethodsAn SIR model and a Dynamic Survival Analysis (DSA) statistical approach was used. Daily counts of tested positive and of vaccine doses administered obtained from the Israeli Ministry of Health, were used to calibrate the model. The model was parameterized using values derived from a previous phase of the pandemic during which similar lockdown and other preventive measures were implemented in order to take into account the effect of these preventing measures on COVID-19 spread.ResultsOur model predicts for the total population a reduction of 648,585 SARS-CoV-2 cases (75% confidence interval [CI]: 25,877–1,396,963) during the first 2 months of the vaccination campaign. The number of averted hospitalizations for moderate – severe conditions were 16,101 (75 % CI: 2,010–33,035) and reduction of death was estimated as 5,123 (CI: 388–10,815) fatalities.Among children aged 0-19 years, we estimated a reduction of 163,436 (CI: 0–433,233) SARS-CoV-2 cases which we consider as an indirect effect of the vaccine.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the rapid vaccination campaign prevented hundreds of thousands of new cases as well as thousands of hospitalizations and fatalities and has probably averted a major health care crisis

Erratum To: Quality Of Sweat Test (st) Based On The Proportion Of Sweat Sodium (na) And Sweat Chloride (cl) As Diagnostic Parameter Of Cystic Fibrosis: Are We On The Right Way?

During production of the original article [1] the Methods section included an incorrect sentence. The following sentence "For the analysis of variables with numerical distribution, Fisher's exact test and one-way analysis of variance were used" should be corrected as "For the analysis of variables with numerical distribution, Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used". © The Author(s).12

Immunogenicity and Safety of a Third COVID-19 BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine Dose in 5- to 11-Year Olds

In this ongoing study, substantially increased ancestral SARSCoV-2 neutralizing responses were observed 1 month after a third 10-µg BNT162b2 dose given to 5 to 11-year olds versus neutralizing responses post-dose 2. After dose 3, increased neutralizing responses against Omicron BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 strains were also observed. The safety/tolerability profile was acceptable.Peer reviewe

Applications of electrified dust and dust devil electrodynamics to Martian atmospheric electricity

Atmospheric transport and suspension of dust frequently brings electrification, which may be substantial. Electric fields of 10 kVm-1 to 100 kVm-1 have been observed at the surface beneath suspended dust in the terrestrial atmosphere, and some electrification has been observed to persist in dust at levels to 5 km, as well as in volcanic plumes. The interaction between individual particles which causes the electrification is incompletely understood, and multiple processes are thought to be acting. A variation in particle charge with particle size, and the effect of gravitational separation explains to, some extent, the charge structures observed in terrestrial dust storms. More extensive flow-based modelling demonstrates that bulk electric fields in excess of 10 kV m-1 can be obtained rapidly (in less than 10 s) from rotating dust systems (dust devils) and that terrestrial breakdown fields can be obtained. Modelled profiles of electrical conductivity in the Martian atmosphere suggest the possibility of dust electrification, and dust devils have been suggested as a mechanism of charge separation able to maintain current flow between one region of the atmosphere and another, through a global circuit. Fundamental new understanding of Martian atmospheric electricity will result from the ExoMars mission, which carries the DREAMS (Dust characterization, Risk Assessment, and Environment Analyser on the Martian Surface)-MicroARES (Atmospheric Radiation and Electricity Sensor) instrumentation to Mars in 2016 for the first in situ measurements