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Israel last month launched its fourth COVID booster, despite reports a fourth dose could actually harm the immune system and data showing increased doses make individuals more susceptible to contracting the virus.
Several weeks into the booster campaign, Israel is witnessing a rise in Omicron cases amid reports suggesting even quadruple-vaccinated Israelis are catching the virus.
In an interview with Unherd, Professor Cyrille Cohen, head of immunology at Israel’s Bar Ilan University and member of the advisory committee for COVID vaccines for the Israeli government, discussed Israel’s vaccine passport system, the shortcomings of the COVID vaccine and mistakes he said government scientists made during the pandemic.
Cohen, referred to by Unherd as one of Israel’s “foremost authorities” on COVID vaccines, explained how the vaccinated and unvaccinated transmit the virus at “virtually” the same rate, and because of this, the Green Pass, Israel’s vaccine passport, isn’t relevant.
“I don’t think there’s a point in maintaining the Green Pass,” Cohen said.
He also admitted the goal of Israel’s Green Pass policy was less to prevent infection and disease and more to coerce people into getting the vaccine.
Cohen said:
“The Green Pass is not necessary. And it’s not a secret, but it’s not necessarily to prevent transmission. It’s also to encourage people to get vaccinated. And I don’t want to get into the political aspects of the Green Pass but this is a reality.”
Cohen said closing schools was one of the biggest mistakes his government made during the pandemic.
“We should have never never touched education … this will have repercussions in the future,” he said.
There’s speculation Israel keeps adding boosters without supporting data because Israel is a “laboratory” for COVID vaccines, particularly Pfizer.
Pfizer has an exclusive contract (heavily redacted) with Israel, leading some to suggest there’s a financial or contractual incentive to keep adding boosters to the COVID schedule.
Dr. Robert Malone, an early developer of mRNA vaccine technology, echoed this during an interview with American podcaster Joe Rogan:
“These days the country’s name is actually ‘Pfizreal.’ It’s no longer Israel. Their government has a financial deal with Pfizer and they only have the Pfizer vaccine.”
Last year, a Pfizer executive referred to Israel as “a sort of laboratory” for COVID vaccines.
Watch the interview here:
