Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus As more countries announce vaccine and immunisation programmes, researchers begin to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccine shots to prepare them for about 4,000 different coronavirus variants worldwide. Reuters Staff U.S.

*New vaccination centres are due to open this month in the heart of two California communities especially hard hit by the coronavirus.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/single-covid-vaccine-dose-in-israel-less-effective-than-we-hoped

Israel’s coronavirus tsar has warned that a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may be providing less protection than originally hoped, as the country reported a record 10,000 new Covid infections on Monday.

In remarks reported by Army Radio, Nachman Ash said a single dose appeared “less effective than we had thought”, and also lower than Pfizer had suggested.

By contrast, those who had received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine had a six- to 12-fold increase in antibodies, according to data released by Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer on Monday.

Israeli hospital: 98% of staff who got 2nd shot have high-level COVID antibodies * * * timesofisrael

A new serological study conducted at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan has shown 98% of hospital workers who received the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine have developed a high level of antibodies to fight off the virus.