An Israeli study done over more than half a million fully vaccinated Israelis indicated the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine gave 94% protection against COVID-19, the country’s top healthcare provider announced on Sunday.

Clalit Health Services said that its researchers tested 600,000 subjects who had received the recommended two doses of the US-German Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the same number of people who had not been innoculated, in a groundbreaking project.

“There was a 94% reduction in the rate of symptomatic infection and a 92% decrease in the rate of serious illness compared to 600,000 similar (subjects) who were not vaccinated,” Clalit said in a statement.

“Vaccine efficacy is maintained in all age groups, including those aged 70+,” it added.

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Clalit is the biggest of Israel’s four health service providers, which collectively provide healthcare to the entire population.They are directly responsible for vaccinations and collecting data on their impact.

“The publication of preliminary results at this stage is intended to emphasise to the unvaccinated population that the vaccine is highly effective and prevents serious morbidity,” Clalit said.

It added that the study covered people who had received the second shot at least seven days before being tested, and would be expanded in future.

“With each additional week that passes, we will be able to make the assessment more accurate,” the statement added.

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Israel’s mass vaccination campaign has seen 3.8 million people receive a first dose, while 2.4 million have also received a second shot.

The country of nine million people, which is currently easing restrictions imposed during its third nationwide lockdown, is aiming to vaccinate everyone over the age of 16 by the end of March.

Israel has so far relied on only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, although it holds a small stock of the vaccine developed by US biotech firm Moderna.