Health News Roundup: Brazil's VP Mourao says mass vaccination; South Korea scrambles to add hospital beds and more

White House: no one pressuring FDA to approve coronavirus vaccine White House Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said on Thursday there is no political pressure on the U.S. drugs regulator to quickly approve a vaccine for the deadly coronavirus disease, after drugmakers and the Centers for Disease Control suggested one could be ready just ahead of the November presidential election.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Brazil's VP Mourão says mass vaccination needed against COVID-19

Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourão said in a radio interview on Thursday that immunization against COVID-19 will necessarily require mass vaccination, and "everyone in the government knows that." He appeared to be clarifying the government's position after President Jair Bolsonaro, who has consistently downplayed the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, said on Monday that nobody would be forced to take the vaccine once it is available.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

South Korea scrambles to add hospital beds

New York pushes ahead with more reopenings as COVID-19 cases rise in U.S. Midwest

Casinos statewide will welcome back visitors in New York and malls in New York City will reopen doors to shoppers as new coronavirus infections remain low in what was once the U.S. hot spot of the pandemic, even while cases mount in Midwestern states. Next Wednesday, New York City malls will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity and casinos statewide can reopen at 25% capacity, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday.

How to prepare for a school year like no other

Parents, teachers, and students nationwide are preparing for a school year like no other. As part of our #AskReuters Twitter chat series, Reuters gathered a group of experts to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed K-12 education. Below are edited highlights.

Mexico eyes October start for phase 3 trials of Russian coronavirus vaccine: minister

Mexico said on Thursday that it plans to take part in stage 3 trials of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in October, part of the nation's efforts to secure supplies of possible future COVID-19 vaccines. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that if the Mexican regulator permits it, the Russian vaccine can be brought to Mexico and several thousand volunteers will "test that vaccine in our country as close as next month".

White House: no one pressuring FDA to approve coronavirus vaccine

White House Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said on Thursday there is no political pressure on the U.S. drugs regulator to quickly approve a vaccine for the deadly coronavirus disease, after drugmakers and the Centers for Disease Control suggested one could be ready just ahead of the November presidential election. "No one is pressuring the FDA to do anything," McEnany said, referring to the Food and Drug Administration.

U.S. CDC reports 185,092 deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said the number of deaths due to the new coronavirus had risen by 1,009 to 185,092 and reported 6,087,403 cases, an increase of 39,711 cases from its previous count. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 2 versus its previous report a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2GifzBV)

J&J's coronavirus vaccine candidate prevents severe disease in hamsters

Johnson & Johnson said on Thursday its experimental coronavirus vaccine prevented hamsters from getting severely ill, as the drugmaker seeks to begin large, late-stage studies in humans later this month. In the pre-clinical study, vaccinated animals lost less weight and had less virus in their lungs and other organs than unvaccinated animals. (https://bit.ly/3gVS8ey)

Tracing apps may stem COVID-19 spread even when only a few use them: study

Contact tracing apps can sharply reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus even when only a few people use them, a study published on Thursday by researchers at Google and Oxford University showed. An app used by 15% of the population together with a well-staffed contact-tracing workforce can lead to a 15% drop in infection rates and an 11% drop in COVID-19 deaths, according to statistical modeling by the Alphabet Inc unit and Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine.

COVID-19 vaccine could come in late October; White House says no pressure on timing

U.S. public health officials and Pfizer Inc said a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready for distribution as soon as late October, just ahead of the November election in which the coronavirus pandemic is likely to be a major factor among voters deciding whether President Donald Trump wins a second term. Even though the stakes are high for Republican Trump, who is squaring off against former Vice President Joe Biden on Nov. 3, there is no political pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to quickly approve a vaccine, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Thursday.