Health News Roundup: Under 20s around half as susceptible to COVID-19, study finds; UK funds human trials of potential COVID-19 vaccine from Imperial and more

The results, described as a "major breakthrough" by scientists leading the UK-led clinical trial known as RECOVERY, suggest the drug should immediately become standard care in patients treated in hospital with the pandemic disease, the researchers said.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Hat in hand: U.S. scientists scramble to support their COVID immunity research

It wasn't easy to build a COVID-19 antibody test during Illinois' statewide lockdown. In April, when a key enzyme couldn't be delivered to his shuttered laboratory, Northwestern University researcher Thomas McDade hunted for the package across the empty campus near Chicago, finally locating it at a loading dock. To verify the test's accuracy, the biological anthropologist and his colleague, pharmacologist Alexis Demonbreun, asked friends and family if they'd be willing to spot them some blood. McDade took a sample from his wife over their kitchen table.

Steroid dexamethasone reduces deaths among patients with severe COVID-19: trial shows

Giving low doses of the generic steroid drug dexamethasone to patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 reduced death rates by around a third among those with the most severe cases of infection, trial data showed on Tuesday. The results, described as a "major breakthrough" by scientists leading the UK-led clinical trial known as RECOVERY, suggest the drug should immediately become standard care in patients treated in hospital with the pandemic disease, the researchers said.

Under 20s around half as susceptible to COVID-19, study finds

People under 20 are around half as susceptible to COVID-19 as people aged 20 or above, according to research published on Tuesday, and clinical symptoms of the pandemic disease appear in only about a fifth of infections in children and teens. The research, a modeling study using data from 32 locations China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Canada and South Korea, found that by contrast, COVID-19 symptoms appear in 69% of infections in people aged 70 or older.

UK funds human trials of potential COVID-19 vaccine from Imperial

Scientists at Imperial College London will start the first clinical trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine this week with more than 45 million pounds ($56.50 million) in backing from the British government and philanthropic donors. The trials are the first human tests of a new technology which the researchers say could transform vaccine development by enabling rapid responses to emerging diseases such as the COVID-19 infection caused by the new coronavirus.

U.S. health insurers may balk at paying for coronavirus antibody testing

U.S. health insurers may balk at covering tests that look for coronavirus antibodies in some cases, arguing that employers or the government should foot a bill expected to run into billions of dollars. Health insurers have largely escaped the economic pain wrought by the pandemic. Their profits increased as many Americans delayed more routine and expensive medical care during the recent lockdown period, while the total cost of covering COVID-19 patients has been less than expected in many regions with low case numbers.

Lilly's breast cancer drug succeeds in late-stage study

Eli Lilly and Co said on Tuesday that its breast cancer therapy Verzenio met the main goal of reducing the risk of it returning in the early stages in a late-stage study, sending its shares up 8.5% in pre-market trade. The drug is already approved to treat other certain forms of breast cancer, but not for reducing the chances of cancer recurring.

China's COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in human trials, CNBG says

China National Biotec Group (CNBG) said on Tuesday its experimental coronavirus vaccine has triggered antibodies in clinical trials and the company plans late-stage human trials in foreign countries. No vaccines have been solidly proven to be able to effectively protect people from the virus that has killed more than 400,000 people, while multiple candidates are in various stages of development globally.

France gives its drugs industry a shot in the arm to tackle pandemic

France's president and top drugmaker announced plans on Tuesday to bolster domestic production of medicines as countries scramble to strengthen their healthcare industries to counter the coronavirus pandemic. Drugmaker Sanofi, which is working on two potential coronavirus vaccines, said it would invest 610 million euros ($679 million) at two French sites to turn them into a hub dedicated to research, development and production of vaccines.

As coronavirus returns, Beijingers face disruption, anxiety

Beijing's scramble to contain a coronavirus outbreak, just over a week after containment measures had been eased and life had returned to near-normal, is disrupting activity for many residents and fueling concerns of further tightening. Many expressed faith in the city's ability to control the latest outbreak, but others expressed renewed anxiety.

Explainer: The coronavirus risks of everyday activities as economies reopen

Americans have started returning to more normal lifestyles with the end of coronavirus lockdowns. But what activities are safe? Reuters asked five epidemiologists and public health experts to rate eleven everyday activities on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being a low-risk activity and 5 being a high risk activity. The scientists agreed that precautions can be taken to make all of these activities safer.