Health News Roundup: India reports daily rise of 326,098 in coronavirus infections; Canada plots course to fully vaccinated and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Canada plots course to fully vaccinated return to gatherings in fall

Canada on Friday said there would be a gradual return to a world with indoor sports and family gatherings as more people get vaccinated, but it did not go as far as the United States in telling people they could eventually ditch their masks. Canada has administered one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to just over half its adult population, and the country may be over the worst of its current third wave of infections, Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said.

With ICUs nearly full, Colombia surpasses 80,000 COVID-19 deaths

Confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in Colombia passed 80,000 on Friday with intensive care units almost full in the biggest cities, where large crowds have been gathering for weeks of anti-government protests. Authorities warned this week that the demonstrations - initially called in opposition to now-canceled tax reform but which have expanded to tackle inequality and police brutality - were set to prolong an already devastating third wave of the epidemic.

U.S. restaurant association to nix indoor mask suggestion per CDC

The U.S. National Restaurant Association will remove a suggestion from its operating guidance for restaurants that says fully vaccinated people should still wear masks indoors, following new advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday. "We still have a lot of questions for the CDC about how we need to implement their latest guidance," Larry Lynch, the NRA's Senior Vice President of Science and Industry, said in a statement sent to Reuters.

Delayed 2nd Pfizer/BioNTech shot boosts antibodies in elderly; COVID-19 obesity risk higher for men

The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Delaying second Pfizer/BioNTech dose boosts antibodies in elderly

Walmart says fully vaccinated employees can go without masks starting Tuesday

Walmart said on Friday that fully vaccinated employees will not need to wear a mask at work starting Tuesday, following the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The world's largest retailer said in an internal memo to U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and supply chain facilities that unvaccinated workers must still wear face coverings. Vaccinated customers and Sam's Club members will be allowed to shop without a mask starting Friday.

Explainer: What is the science behind the new U.S. mask guidance?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday advised that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks outdoors and can avoid wearing them indoors in most places, updated guidance the agency said will allow life to begin to return to normal. The following lays out some of the recent scientific evidence on which the CDC and Director Rochelle Walensky based their updated guidelines, including vaccine efficacy against virus variants, increased availability, and a reduction in cases:

UK to speed up vaccinations, warns Indian variant may delay full reopening

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday Britain would accelerate its COVID-19 vaccination program, to try to contain a fast-spreading variant first identified in India that could knock a re-opening of the economy off track. The United Kingdom has delivered one of the world's fastest inoculation campaigns, giving the first shot to almost 70% of the adult population and a second to 36%, helping to reduce infection rates and deaths.

Mainland China reports 14 new COVID-19 cases vs 7 a day earlier

Mainland China reported 14 new COVID-19 cases on May 14, up from seven cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Saturday. The National Health Commission (NHC) said in its daily bulletin that five of the new cases were local infections, including three in central China's Anhui province and two in Liaoning in the northeast. The rest originated overseas.

India reports daily rise of 326,098 in coronavirus infections

India reported on Saturday 326,098 new coronavirus infections over the prior 24 hours, taking its tally to 24.37 million, while deaths showed a slight fall, to 3,890. Over the past week, the South Asian nation has added about 1.7 million new cases and more than 20,000 deaths. Its death toll stands at 266,207, health ministry data shows.

Factbox-How U.S. states and cities are responding to new federal mask guidance

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks outdoors and can mostly avoid wearing them indoors. Here is a snapshot of how states and cities that set mask rules around America have responded.

(With inputs from agencies.)