Myocarditis after BNT162b2 Vaccination in Israeli Adolescents [Letter to the Editor - The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), March 2022]

Title:

Myocarditis after BNT162b2 Vaccination in Israeli Adolescents

 

Authors:

Dror Mevorach, Emilia Anis, Tal Hasin, Michal Bromberg [et al]

 

Published:

The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), 10 March 2022

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2116999

[Published as a Letter to the Editor]

 

From the Letter to the Editor:

Using an active nationwide surveillance system administered by the Israeli Ministry of Health, we previously found a higher incidence of myocarditis among persons 16 years of age or older who had received the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer–BioNTech) than among historical controls and unvaccinated persons; the incidence was highest among young male recipients.

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination: what can Canada learn from Israel? [Scholarly Article - Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, February 2021]

Title:

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination: what can Canada learn from Israel?

 

Author:

Gregory P. Marchildon

University of Toronto

 

Published:

Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, 17 February 2021

https://ijhpr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13584-021-00449-x

 

Abstract:

This commentary compares Israel’s COVID-10 vaccination response to the much slower and less successful vaccination campaign in Canada. Although Canada did start with some structural disadvantages relative to Israel including less centralized and coherent emergency planning and a more complex demographic geography, there are, nonetheless, some important policy lessons Canada can draw from Israel. These include a more strategic use of national leadership in the vaccination campaign and the greater use of primary care resources and providers.

Scholarly Article - Increased COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy and Health Awareness amid COVID-19 Vaccinations Programs in Israel (by M. Shacham et al.)

Title:

Increased COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy and Health Awareness amid COVID-19 Vaccinations Programs in Israel 

 

Authors:

Maayan Shacham, Lee Greenblatt-Kimron, Yaira Hamama-Raz, Leslie R. Martin, Oren Peleg, Menachem Ben-Ezra & Eitan Mijiritsky

 

Published:

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, published: 6 April 2021

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3804

 

Abstract:

In January 2021, Israel started vaccinating healthcare workers (HCWs) and individuals older than 65 years with COVID-19 vaccines. Scientific literature points to vaccine hesitancy as being a major health concern. During time of pandemics, increased consciousness of health behaviors may be encountered. The current study aimed to assess attitudes to general vaccines and to COVID-19 vaccines in particular among adult (>18) Israeli general public, and among Israeli dentists and dental hygienists. Cross-sectional surveys were filled out by a total of 501 participants (361 Israeli adults >18 years, 73 dental hygienists, and 67 dentists). Along with basic demographics, participants responded to the Hebrew VAX, COVID-VAX and HCS scales. Group comparisons were analyzed using t tests and ANOVAs with Scheffe’s test used for post hoc comparisons. Dental hygienists demonstrated significantly higher anti-vaccinations approaches than both dentists (p < 0.01) and the general public (p < 0.05). In all groups, attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines were more negative compared to attitudes towards general vaccines, with hygienists demonstrating significant negative attitudes compared to dentists (p < 0.05). The general public (p = 0.56) and hygienists demonstrated increased health awareness compared to dentists (p < 0.05). As health awareness has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic primary strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy should be implemented in the general public, and in particular, an dental teams.

 

Internationalisation by demarcating the role of higher education in sustainable development goals: The case of Israel [Scholarly Article - EJED, February 2021]

Title:

Internationalisation by demarcating the role of higher education in sustainable development goals: The case of Israel

 

Author:

Miri Yemini

 

Published:

European Journal of Education (EJED), 14 February 2021

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ejed.12443

 

Abstract:

Many policy makers and scholars consider higher education to be a key driver for states' implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); however, the impact of higher education in national SDGs adoption likely differs, based on features and characteristics of particular states. Hence, this study has two aims: (a) to analyse the public discourse on the engagement of the State of Israel with SDG implementation, focusing on the role of higher education in this process; and (b) to discuss the unique position of Israel in implementing and discussing SDGs, given the state's characteristic as a high‐income OECD country involved in an intractable geo‐political conflict that profoundly affects its society. Following an analysis of documents, I highlight the discrepancies between the potential role of higher education in implementing the SDGs and the role of higher education as articulated by the state and public discourse. Two significant discrepancies are found: first, the complete absence of Israel's national conflict in the discourse on SDGs reflected in formal documents published both by the state and by Israeli NGOs. Second, the misalignment between the structure and function of higher education in Israel in terms of internationalisation strategies adopted and the specific role ascribed to higher education within the SDG discourse.

Alexa, do I have COVID-19? Researchers are exploring ways to use people’s voices to diagnose coronavirus infections, dementia, depression and much more.

Title:

Alexa, do I have COVID-19?

 

Author:

Emily Anthes

 

Published:

Nature, 30 September 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02732-4

 

From the article:

In March, as the staggering scope of the coronavirus pandemic started to become clear, officials around the world began enlisting the public to join in the fight. Hospitals asked local companies to donate face masks. Researchers called on people who had recovered from COVID-19 to donate their blood plasma. And in Israel, the defence ministry and a start-up company called Vocalis Health asked people to donate their voices.

ISRAEL - The sound of coronavirus: Israeli apps helping contain pandemic

Title:
The sound of coronavirus: Israeli apps helping contain pandemic

Authors:
Guillaume Lavallee & Jonah Mandel

Published:
Medical Xpress, 31 March 2020

From the article:
"One app tells you if you've been in the vicinity of a coronavirus carrier and another aims to assess whether you have COVID-19 based on the sound of your voice."

To read this article:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-03-coronavirus-israeli-apps-pandemic.html

Israel’s Council for Higher Education: Reform to boost English skills and lure foreign students

Title of short article:
Reform to boost English skills and lure foreign students

Author:
Brendan O'Malley

Published:
University World News, 11 January 2020

From the article:
"Israel's Council for Higher Education (CHE) has approved a new reform aimed at significantly improving the level of English language skills among university and college students and attracting more international students.

As a result of this new reform, dozens of new English taught courses will be developed in Israeli universities and colleges and from the 2021-22 academic year all students starting undergraduate studies will take at least two courses in the English language."

To read this article:
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200109085030785