Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
U.N. chief appeals for $8 billion to equitably vaccinate 40% of world in 2021
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on Thursday for $8 billion to help equitably vaccinate 40% of people in all countries by the end of the year, as the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a plan that aims to inoculate 70% of the world by mid-2022. Guterres urged the Group of 20 rich countries to deliver on their “desire to get the world vaccinated” at a summit in Rome later this month.
Pfizer, BioNTech seek U.S. COVID-19 vaccine clearance for children 5-11
Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE have asked U.S. regulators to authorize emergency use of their COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, a group for whom no shot is currently allowed, Pfizer said on Thursday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has set a date of Oct. 26 for its panel of outside advisers to meet and discuss the application, making it possible for children in this age group – numbering around 28 million – to begin receiving the two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine shortly afterward.
Spain’s COVID-19 rate at ‘low risk’ level for first time in 15 months
Spain’s coronavirus incidence dropped below 50 cases per 100,000 people on Thursday, reaching the threshold considered “low risk” by the Health Ministry for the first time in over a year. More than three quarters of the Spanish population has now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and most restrictions on socialising have recently been dropped, although masks remain mandatory in enclosed spaces.
Analysis-Judge’s ruling on Texas abortion ban a warning to copycats, for now
A U.S. federal judge’s decision blocking Texas’ near-total abortion ban is a warning to other states considering similar measures, though it too could be overturned by a higher court in the coming weeks. Texas’ law banning the procedure from six weeks, a point when many women may not even be aware they are pregnant, took effect last month after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/texas-six-week-abortion-ban-takes-effect-2021-09-01 to halt it from taking effect, in a late-night decision that took no stance on the law’s constitutionality.
U.S. administers nearly 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines – CDC
The United States has administered 399,552,444 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Thursday morning and distributed 482,326,275 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Those figures are up from the 398,675,414 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Wednesday, out of 480,427,985 doses delivered.
African Union to start talks with WHO on malaria vaccine rollout
Africa will start talks with the World Health Organization about getting the first approved malaria vaccine to the continent as soon as possible, the African Union’s top health official said on Thursday, amid calls for funding for drugs beyond COVID-19. John Nkengasong spoke a day after the WHO said RTS,S – or Mosquirix – developed by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline should be widely given to children in Africa.
Explainer-What researchers say about the long-term effects of COVID-19
The World Health Organization (WHO) this week issued a definition for “long COVID,” a term used to describe the persistent health problems that affect some survivors of COVID-19. Scientists are still working to understand the syndrome. Here is what they know so far. HOW DOES THE WHO DEFINE LONG COVID?
Biden to tout vaccine mandates for large companies in Chicago trip
U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Chicago on Thursday to meet with the United Airlines chief executive and local Democratic leaders, as he touts his decision to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on employees of large firms, the White House said. Biden last month ordered all federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated, with few exceptions, and for private employers with 100 or more workers to require employees to be vaccinated or get tested for the coronavirus weekly.
Finland joins Sweden and Denmark in limiting Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
Finland on Thursday paused the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for younger males due to reports of a rare cardiovascular side effect, joining Sweden and Denmark in limiting its use. Mika Salminen, director of the Finnish health institute, said Finland would instead give Pfizer’s vaccine to men born in 1991 and later. Finland offers shots to people aged 12 and over.
UK COVID-19 cases rise to 40,701, highest in a month
Britain recorded 40,701 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, up 12% on a week ago and marking the biggest total since Sept. 6, government data showed. The figures also showed an additional 122 people had died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, compared with 143 a day earlier.
(With inputs from agencies.)
