The Israeli government agreed to purchase Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine for Syria. The vaccine will be purchased as part of a deal that secured the release of an Israeli woman held captive in Damascus. It was reported by The New York Times.
Last week, a young Israeli woman was released from custody in Syria after being arrested for illegally crossing Syria. According to the official version, she became the beneficiary of a simple prisoner exchange. The Israeli government said that in return for her freedom, she had been exchanged for two Syrian shepherds captured by the Israelis.
The woman was released after Israel secretly agreed to finance a shipment of Sputnik V vaccine for Syria.
According to the Associated Press, Israel paid Russia $1.2 million to provide the Syrian government with coronavirus vaccines.
As we reported earlier, Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine reduces virus transmission by 89.4%.
Data analysis in a study by the Israeli Health Ministry and Pfizer Inc found the Pfizer vaccine developed with Germany’s BioNTech reduces infection, including in asymptomatic cases, by 89.4% and in syptomatic cases by 93.7%.
Findings of the pre-published study, not yet peer-reviewed, but based on a national database that is one of the world’s most advanced.