Health News Roundup: Mexico to import AstraZeneca vaccine from India; At Oklahoma COVID ward, staff fight to prevent lonely deaths and more

J&J vaccine adds to COVID-19 armoury, includes South African variant Johnson & Johnson said on Friday that its single-dose vaccine was 66% effective in preventing COVID-19 in a large global trial against multiple variants, giving health officials another weapon to tackle the pandemic.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Novavax expects to produce 150 million vaccine doses per month as early as May: CEO

Novavax Inc expects to produce up to 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses monthly by May or June, its chief executive told Reuters on Friday, a day after reporting interim data that showed its shot to be 89% effective in a UK trial. Novavax expects to complete the clinical trial for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the next few weeks, but is already working on manufacturing to be able to reach full production capacity quickly, Chief Executive Officer Stanley Erck said.

J&J vaccine adds to COVID-19 armory, includes South African variant

Johnson & Johnson said on Friday that its single-dose vaccine was 66% effective in preventing COVID-19 in a large global trial against multiple variants, giving health officials another weapon to tackle the pandemic. In the trial of nearly 44,000 volunteers, the level of protection against moderate and severe COVID-19 varied from 72% in the United States to 66% in Latin America and just 57% in South Africa, from where a worrying variant has spread.

Mexico to import AstraZeneca vaccine from India, president says

Mexico plans to import about 870,000 doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine from India in February, as well as producing it locally, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday. Mexico and Argentina have a deal with AstraZeneca to produce its vaccine for distribution in Latin America, with financial support from the foundation of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. Vietnam reports 34 new COVID-19 cases, speeds up vaccine procurement

Vietnam reported 34 new COVID-19 infections early on Saturday in its latest coronavirus outbreak and seeks to accelerate procurement of vaccines. Of the new cases, 32 were detected in Hai Duong province, the epicenter, and two in neighboring Quang Ninh province, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. It added that the country has recorded more than 1,700 cases since the disease was detected a year ago, including 873 locally transmitted infections.

Hungary signs deal for Chinese Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine, first in EU

Hungary became the European Union's first member to approve China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, sealing a deal on Friday for 5 million doses just a week after becoming the first EU member to buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose nationalist government frequently bucks the consensus of its EU neighbors, said he would personally opt to receive the Chinese vaccine, as he trusted it more than others.

At Oklahoma COVID ward, staff fight to prevent lonely deaths

The patient alarms ping constantly in the COVID-19 ward at a hospital in Oklahoma City, signaling to pulmonologist Dr. Syed Naqvi and the rest of the ICU team that yet another person needs help. The sheer volume is exhausting, Naqvi said, but the emotional toll is even more draining, given that each time he puts a patient on a ventilator he knows there is little chance that person will recover.

After outcry, EU reverses plan to restrict vaccine exports through Irish border

The European Union on Friday abruptly reversed a plan to use emergency Brexit measures to restrict exports of COVID-19 vaccines from crossing the Irish border into the United Kingdom after it sent shockwaves through Northern Ireland, London, and Dublin. In a steep escalation of the EU's fight to secure vaccine supplies, Brussels had said it would trigger clauses in the Northern Irish Protocol to prevent the vaccines from moving across the open border between EU-member Ireland and the British-run province.

Empty halls, cancelled shots: France's COVID vaccine rollout falters

Renaud Georges was days from receiving his first coronavirus vaccine shot, an injection he hoped would allow him to hug his grandchildren for the first time in months. Then he received a text message informing him the appointment was canceled. "It's a massive disappointment," he said. "For us the vaccine is the only way out of this miserable crisis."

Moderna seeks FDA clearance to increase doses per vial: CNBC

Moderna Inc has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to fill its COVID-19 vaccine vials with up to five additional doses to ease a crunch in manufacturing, CNBC reported on Friday. The change would allow Moderna to put 15 doses in the vials, now cleared to hold 10, the report said https://cnb.cx/39wXjkx, citing a person familiar with the matter.

AstraZeneca CEO Soriot says manufacturing glitches unavoidable

Glitches and delays in the manufacturing of coronavirus vaccines are inevitable given the speed at which they have been developed, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told a news briefing on Friday. Soriot said he would not comment on a dispute with the European Union over supplies, seeking to focus instead on the regulatory approval for the vaccine granted on Friday by the European Medicines Agency.