Health News Roundup: UNICEF says AstraZeneca supply problems outside India resolved; Brazil in talks to buy 100 million more Pfizer shots, official says and more

Europe's health regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), on Tuesday recommended adding a warning about rare blood clots with low blood platelet count to the vaccine's product label and said the benefits of the one-dose shot outweigh its risks. Toronto area to close some workplaces amid COVID-19 surge Canada's biggest city Toronto and neighboring Peel, both of which are in the midst of a third wave of COVID-19 infections, on Tuesday said they would order businesses to close if they had outbreaks involving five or more people, medical officials said.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

European Medicines Agency: More than 300 cases of rare blood clot events worldwide

The European Union's drug regulator said on Tuesday there had been more than 300 cases worldwide of rare blood clotting incidents combined with low platelet counts after use of COVID-19 vaccines. There were 287 occurrences with the AstraZeneca vaccine, eight with Johnson & Johnson's shot, 25 for Pfizer and five for Moderna, said Peter Arlett, Head of Data Analytics at the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

J&J to resume rollout of COVID-19 vaccine in Europe with safety warning

Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday it will resume rolling out its COVID-19 vaccine in Europe after the region's medical regulator said the benefits of the shot outweigh the risk of very rare, potentially lethal blood clots. Europe's health regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), on Tuesday recommended adding a warning about rare blood clots with low blood platelet count to the vaccine's product label and said the benefits of the one-dose shot outweigh its risks.

Toronto area to close some workplaces amid COVID-19 surge

Canada's biggest city Toronto and neighboring Peel, both of which are in the midst of a third wave of COVID-19 infections, on Tuesday said they would order businesses to close if they had outbreaks involving five or more people, medical officials said. The closures would be for a minimum of 10 days if workers "could have reasonably acquired their infection at work," according to a release from Peel Public Health.

Exclusive-UNICEF says AstraZeneca supply problems outside India resolved

Problems that have delayed AstraZeneca supplies to the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility have been resolved, UNICEF told Reuters on Tuesday, saying it should receive 65 million doses by end-May from manufacturers outside India. The rollout of COVID vaccines has been disrupted by supply shortfalls in many countries, aggravated by a temporary hold on exports of the inoculation made by the Serum Institute of India (SII) as the country battles to contain a surge in infections.

Brazil in talks to buy 100 million more Pfizer shots, official says

Brazil is negotiating to buy a new tranche of 100 million doses of the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine, Communications Minister Fabio Faria wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. "The negotiation started about 20 days ago and the (government) seeks to speed up the process," he wrote.

Yemen starts COVID-19 vaccination campaign

Yemen's COVID-19 vaccination campaign began in government-held areas on Tuesday three weeks after the first shipment from the global COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme arrived in the war-torn country. Yemen on March 31 received 360,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine, part of a consignment from COVAX expected to total 1.9 million doses this year.

British PM Johnson launches search for COVID-19 antiviral treatments

Britain is launching a search for antivirals to treat COVID-19 with the aim of having at least two effective at-home treatments by the end of the year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday. Johnson has hailed the advent of COVID-19 vaccines and regular testing as the keys to restoring normality by summer, but his government is also supporting research into therapeutics to help in the fight against the pandemic.

Italy health ministry recommends J&J vaccine for over 60s

Italy's health ministry on Tuesday recommended that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine be used for people over the age of 60, after Europe's drugs regulator said the jab may be linked to blood clotting issues among younger people. The ministry has already made the same recommendation for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Italy.

Israel prepares second COVID vaccine round, expects to include children

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel is planning a second round of COVID-19 vaccination in six months, by which point it expects children to be approved by health regulators to receive jabs, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday. Around 81% of Israeli citizens or residents over 16 - the age group eligible for the Pfizer vaccine in Israel - have received both doses in one of the world's fastest rollouts.

J&J to cooperate in study of rare clots linked to COVID-19 vaccine, German scientist says

ZURICH (Reuters) - A German scientist studying extremely rare blood clots linked to AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine said on Tuesday Johnson & Johnson has agreed to work with him on the research after similar serious side effects emerged in recipients of its shot. Andreas Greinacher, a transfusion medicine expert at Greifswald University, announced the collaboration after the European Medicines Agency said it would add a label to J&J's vaccine warning of unusual blood clots with low platelet counts. AstraZeneca's shot has a similar warning.

(With inputs from agencies.)