Health News Roundup: Mexico reports biggest jump in COVID-19 cases since February; Living with COVID-19: Israel changes strategy as Delta variant hits and more

The official said the second dose for two-shot COVID-19 vaccine regimens was associated with higher rates of side effects, suggesting a third dose could potentially come with even greater risks. U.S. pharmacies strike first deals with counties over opioids Pharmacy operators Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc, CVS Health Corp, Rite Aid Corp and Walmart Inc have agreed to pay a combined $26 million to settle claims by two New York counties that they fueled an opioid addiction epidemic.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Abortion rights advocates sue Texas over 6-week abortion ban

Several abortion rights groups filed a federal lawsuit in Texas on Tuesday seeking to block a new state law banning abortion after six weeks and enabling individuals to sue anyone who assists a woman in getting an abortion past that point. The lawsuit contends the Texas law violates a woman's constitutional right to get an abortion before the fetus is viable and would cause "profound harm" to providers. It was filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, women's health provider Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and funds.

Mexico reports biggest jump in COVID-19 cases since February

Mexico's health ministry on Tuesday reported 11,137 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, the largest daily jump reported in the country since February, bringing its total to 2,604,711 infections. It was not immediately clear why deaths jumped but the health ministry had previously said spikes were down to suspected cases becoming confirmed.

Living with COVID-19: Israel changes strategy as Delta variant hits

Four weeks ago, Israel was celebrating a return to normal life in its battle with COVID-19. After a rapid vaccination drive that had driven down coronavirus infections and deaths, Israelis had stopped wearing face masks and abandoned all social-distancing rules.

'We have rights': the French health workers furious about COVID vaccine order

Nursing home worker Sandra Barona is so vehemently against receiving a COVID-19 shot that she said she may quit her job after French President Emmanuel Macron ordered all health workers to get vaccinated. Barona, who looks after elderly residents in a care home southwest of Paris, expressed scant faith in vaccines she felt had been developed too hastily, even though regulators around the world have repeatedly said speed will not compromise safety. But she said she took particular umbrage at having her individual freedoms trampled over.

California to compensate people forcibly sterilized under eugenics

California has agreed to pay reparations to those who were forcibly sterilized under old laws aimed at people deemed unfit to have children. The legislation, years in the making, will compensate survivors of state-sponsored sterilization that took place under so-called eugenics laws in effect between 1909 and 1979. The $7.5 million fund will also cover survivors of forced sterilization performed in prisons after 1979.

Biden to nominate surgeon, author Atul Gawande to senior job at USAID

U.S. President Joe Biden will nominate writer, surgeon and public health expert Atul Gawande to a senior global health role at the U.S. Agency for International Development, a White House official said on Tuesday. Gawande, author of four New York Times best-selling books and a professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will be nominated to be the assistant administrator of USAID's Bureau for Global Health.

U.S. health official says COVID-19 boosters could risk more serious side effects

The United States is reviewing the need for a third COVID-19 booster shot among residents who have already been vaccinated but needs to see more data to know if additional shots could raise people's risk of serious side effects, a U.S. health official said Tuesday. The official said the second dose for two-shot COVID-19 vaccine regimens was associated with higher rates of side effects, suggesting a third dose could potentially come with even greater risks.

U.S. pharmacies strike first deals with counties over opioids

Pharmacy operators Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc, CVS Health Corp, Rite Aid Corp and Walmart Inc have agreed to pay a combined $26 million to settle claims by two New York counties that they fueled an opioid addiction epidemic. The settlements are the first reached by pharmacies in the ongoing nationwide litigation over opioids. The pharmacies did not admit wrongdoing.

Italy approves GSK-Vir antibody to treat COVID-19

Italy approved the temporary distribution of a coronavirus antibody treatment by Britain's GlaxoSmithKline and U.S. company Vir Biotechnology, the health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The therapy, named Sotrovimab, can be distributed until Jan. 31, 2022, it said, adding the authorisations for all the other monoclonal treatments already in use in the country had also been extended to the same date.

White House teams with pop star Rodrigo to push vaccinations for young people

Singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo will visit President Joe Biden and infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci at the White House on Wednesday to record videos encouraging young people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said.

The visit is part of the Biden administration's effort to convince more young people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as cases increase nationwide. (Graphic on U.S. cases) https://tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR