Health News Roundup: Indians rush for vaccines as coronavirus toll tops 200,000; Waivers for vaccine production "not a solution" and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

English official says she is hopeful COVID vaccine protection will not wane quickly

COVID-19 booster shots might be needed to protect against new variants but might not be necessary to sustain immunity as high protection offered by current vaccines looks unlikely to wane quickly, an English health official said. British officials have been planning for the possibility of a booster campaign later in the year after targeting initial protection for the whole adult population by the summer, with almost 34 million people have already received the first shot.

EU demands immediate access to UK-made vaccines in AstraZeneca legal battle

European Union lawyers on Wednesday demanded AstraZeneca immediately deliver COVID-19 vaccines from its factories in Britain, in a move that risks reigniting a spat with London over scarce vaccine supplies. The call came in the opening hearing of the European Commission's legal case in Brussels against the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker oversupply delays.

Indians rush for vaccines as coronavirus toll tops 200,000

Indians struggled to register online for a mass vaccination drive set to begin next month as the country's toll from the coronavirus surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, worsened by shortages of hospital beds and medical oxygen. The second wave of infections has seen at least 300,000 people test positive each day for the past week, overwhelming health facilities and crematoriums and fuelling an increasingly urgent response from allies overseas sending equipment.

Donate $7 for a COVID-19 vaccine to help end pandemic, WHO urges

People across the world are being encouraged to donate $7 a dose in a World Health Organization-led push to raise extra funds for the COVAX international COVID-19 vaccine-sharing program. Launching the "Go Give One" campaign on Wednesday, the WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would allow anyone who wants to "to play their part in vaccinating the world with a simple donation" and, in time, help end the pandemic.

Swiss prepare for 3,000-person events after July for vaccinated attendees

Switzerland could potentially allow events with up to 3,000 spectators after July, the government said on Wednesday, although such events would be restricted to attendees who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, can prove they've recovered from the illness or test negative for the disease. The government said this is not a re-opening plan but rather a roadmap designed to prepare cantons and event organizers should events be possible.

Vietnam urges vigilance as neighbours battle infection spikes

Vietnam on Wednesday warned against mass gatherings ahead of long public holidays this weekend and said it would speed up its vaccine rollout amid a worsening coronavirus situation among its neighbors. "A new COVID-19 outbreak is threatening to happen, especially during the upcoming holidays," the health ministry said in a statement.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: India's coronavirus deaths exceed 200,000

U.S. govt boosts Moderna COVID-19 vaccine contract to $1.25 billion

Moderna Inc said on Wednesday the U.S. government had agreed to increase the contract for the company's COVID-19 vaccine by $236 million to roughly $1.25 billion, to include additional costs related to the shot's studies. The company and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) had initially signed a $483 million deal for the vaccine in July last year, which was later increased to about $1 billion.

Waivers for vaccine production "not a solution" - BioNTech

The granting of intellectual property waivers is not the right way to increase the output of COVID-19 vaccines, the founder of German vaccine maker BioNTech said on Wednesday, advocating instead the award of production licenses. Such waivers are among the options being considered by the Biden administration for maximizing the production and supply of vaccines, though no decision has been made, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday.

Syngene targets delivering 500,000 vials of remdesivir in India as COVID-19 surges

India's Syngene International Ltd aims to supply half a million vials of COVID-19 drug remdesivir through its local distribution partners next month, its top executive said, as the country faces shortages of medicine amid a second wave. "At the moment we are operating at near maximum capacity (to produce remdesivir)," Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Hunt told Reuters on Wednesday.