By Eduardo Baptista and David Stanway Beijing residents fretted on Friday over tightening COVID curbs in its biggest district and dozens of new cases reported daily as China's leaders reiterated their resolve to battle the virus and threatened action against critics...
‘How did we catch it?’: spread of COVID baffles locked-down Shanghai residents
By Brenda Goh Veronica thought she did everything right by sticking to all of the COVID-19 lockdown rules in the Chinese city of Shanghai. After the entire city was shut down on April 1, her family of four scrupulously followed government orders to stay at home,...
‘Entry only. No exit:’ Beijing sees more COVID closures as anger grows in Shanghai
By Martin Quin Pollard and David Stanway China's capital Beijing closed more businesses and residential compounds on Friday, with authorities ramping up contact tracing to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, while resentment at the month-long lockdown in Shanghai grew. In...
COVID-19 third leading cause of death again in 2021- U.S. study
COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the United States for the second year in a row in 2021, with death rates rising for most age groups, a government study showed on Friday. COVID-19 was the underlying or contributing cause of 460,513 deaths in the United...
Canada to keep mask mandate after judge strikes down U.S. rule
By Anna Mehler Paperny Canada's government said on Tuesday it has no plans to stop requiring masks on planes after a Florida judge struck down a U.S. version of the law. "We are taking a layered approach to keeping travelers safe, and masks remain an incredibly useful...
Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine slashes pediatric hospitalization risk -U.S. study
By Michael Erman Children ages 5 to 11 who received the Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech (22UAy.DE) COVID-19 vaccine were 68% less likely to be hospitalized during the Omicron wave in the United States than unvaccinated children, according to a study published...
China study warns of ‘colossal’ COVID outbreak if it opens up like U.S., France
China could face more than 630,000 COVID-19 infections a day if it dropped its zero-tolerance policies by lifting travel curbs, according to a study by Peking University mathematicians. In the report published in China CDC Weekly by the Chinese Centre for Disease...
China’s Xi calls for COVID-19 vaccine mutual recognition
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccines based on the World Health Organization's emergency use list, according to a transcript of his remarks published by the official Xinhua news agency. Speaking to the Group of 20...
COVID SCIENCE-Breakthrough infections can lead to long COVID; genes may explain critical illness in young, healthy adults
By Nancy Lapid Oct 27 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that have yet to be certified by peer review. Breakthrough infections can lead to long...
U.S. FDA leaning toward approving Moderna half-dose booster -Bloomberg News
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is leaning toward authorizing half-dose booster shots of the Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The FDA had been seeking...
British study shows COVID-19 vaccine efficacy wanes under Delta
By Ludwig Burger A British public health study has found that protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the now prevalent Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months. It also found that those who get infected after...
Health Canada recommends people with rare blood condition not get AstraZeneca vaccine
Health Canada said late on Tuesday it has recommended that people with a history of capillary leak syndrome not be inoculated with drugmaker AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) COVID-19 vaccine. "Health Canada is updating the product monograph - or label - for the AstraZeneca and...
UK study finds vaccines offer high protection against hospitalisation from Delta variant
June 14, 2021 ~ Reuters ~ UK study finds vaccines offer high protection against hospitalisation from Delta variant LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and AstraZeneca (AZN.L) offer high protection of more than 90% against...
US Signs $1.2 Bln Deal for 1.7 Mln Courses of Merck’s Experimental COVID-19 Drug
June 10, 2021 ~ Reuters ~ US Signs $1.2 Bln Deal for 1.7 Mln Courses of Merck's Experimental COVID-19 Drug (Reuters) - Merck & Co Inc said on Wednesday the U.S. government has agreed to pay about $1.2 billion for 1.7 million courses of its experimental COVID-19...
‘Time has come’ for pandemic treaty as part of bold reforms – WHO’s Tedros
May 31, 2021 ~ Reuters ~ Stephanie Nebehay ‘Time has come’ for pandemic treaty as part of bold reforms - WHO’s Tedros The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) called on Monday for launching negotiations this year on an international treaty to boost pandemic...