Health News Roundup: New York to open up COVID-19 vaccine to all adults on April 6; Canada to pause AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine use for those under 55, require new risk analysis

The Biden administration was reviewing the issue and would make recommendations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday, but she added, "We believe it will be driven by the private sector." New York to open up COVID-19 vaccine to all adults on April 6 New York will expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to people 30 and older on Tuesday, and make it available to anyone 16 and above on April 6, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday.

The White House said it expected the private sector to take the lead on verification of COVID-19 vaccines, or so-called vaccine passports, and would not issue a federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential. The Biden administration was reviewing the issue and would make recommendations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday, but she added, "We believe it will be driven by the private sector."

New York to open up COVID-19 vaccine to all adults on April 6

New York will expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to people 30 and older on Tuesday, and make it available to anyone 16 and above on April 6, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday. New York, which last week lowered the eligibility age for vaccines to 50, was one of just a handful of states not to have set a concrete date for universal eligibility since President Joe Biden called for reaching that goal by May 1.

Canada to pause AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine use for those under 55, require new risk analysis

Canadian health officials said on Monday they would stop offering AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people under age 55 and require a new analysis of the shot's benefits and risks based on age and gender. The moves follow reports from Europe of rare but serious blood clots, bleeding and in some cases death after vaccination, mainly in young women. No such cases have been reported in Canada, with about 307,000 AstraZeneca doses administered.

New U.S. COVID-19 cases rise for second week in a row

New cases of COVID-19 in the United States rose 9% to more than 431,000 last week, the first time since January that cases have increased for two weeks in a row, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county data. Thirty-three out of 50 states reported more new infections in the week ended March 28 compared with the previous seven days, according to the Reuters analysis. New Jersey, Michigan and New York posted the biggest increases relative to the size of their populations. (Open https://tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR in an external browser to see a related graphic.)

'Impending doom': U.S. warns of COVID-19 surge, Biden to announce vaccination progress

U.S. officials pleaded with Americans on Monday to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 amid an increase in cases across the country, as President Joe Biden planned to announce more Americans would be eligible to be vaccinated soon. Biden will say on Monday that 90% of adults in the United States will be eligible to get a vaccine by April 19, a White House official said.

Biden says 90% of adults in U.S. will be eligible for vaccination by April 19 U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that 90% of all adults in the United States will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccination by April 19 as he warned about the potential for an upsurge in infections. Speaking at the White House, Biden said some of the "reckless behavior" he had seen on television in recent weeks, a possible reference to scores of college students on spring break vacations in Miami, means more infections will be reported in the days ahead.

'A blessing': at-home vaccination program brings shots to U.S. homebound Some senior citizens and others can't leave home to get vaccinated against COVID-19 - so the vaccine is coming to them. "It's a blessing," Clara Vazquez said as her 83-year-old mother, who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer's disease, prepared to receive her second vaccination.

Brazil's health minister sees chance to receive U.S. vaccines Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said on Monday there is a possibility of an exchange with the United States allowing Brazil to receive COVID-19 vaccines sooner, as the government tries to improve its response to the pandemic. Speaking before a Senate committee on Monday, Queiroga, Brazil's fourth health minister since the health crisis started, said he discussed the possibility with Brazil's ambassador to Washington, Nestor Forster, in a telephone call.

(With inputs from agencies.)