Health News Roundup: The American pandemic day: More kids. More TV. More Z's. More time alone; Australian states squabble as NSW seeks COVID vaccine priority and more

Taiwan implemented restrictions on gatherings, including closing entertainment venues and limiting restaurants to take-out service, in mid-May following a spike in domestic cases after months of no or few cases apart from imported ones. U.S. CDC advisers back J&J COVID-19 vaccine benefits amid neurological illness reports Despite reports of a rare neurological disorder appearing in some people who have received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, the benefits of its use outweigh the risks, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

The American pandemic day: More kids. More TV. More Z's. More time alone

Americans watched more TV last year, played more computer games, thought and read a bit more, caught up on a little sleep, and on average spent an extra hour each day alone and two additional hours wrangling or educating their kids. Exercise? Meh.

Australian states squabble as NSW seeks COVID vaccine priority

Australia's largest state of New South Wales on Friday urged the federal government to divert vaccine doses to Sydney, the epicenter of a flaring COVID-19 outbreak, raising objections from other states desperate for protection from the virus. The Sydney outbreak has ballooned to nearly 1,800 cases since mid-June, and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian branded the situation a "national emergency".".

Spacing Pfizer COVID shots boost antibody levels after initial drop -study

A longer gap between doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine leads to higher overall antibody levels than a shorter gap, a British study found on Friday, but there is a sharp drop in antibody levels after the first dose. The study might help inform vaccination strategies against the Delta variant, which reduces the effectiveness of a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine even though two doses are still protective.

U.S. CDC advisers mull COVID-19 boosters for immune-compromised people

Advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday will consider evidence suggesting that a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines could increase protection among people with compromised immune systems. Data presented ahead of the meeting noted that such people have a reduced antibody response following the recommended primary vaccination series compared with healthy individuals.

The Philippines to bar travel from Malaysia, Thailand to curb Delta's spread

The Philippines will ban travelers coming from Malaysia and Thailand, as well as tighten restrictions in the Manila area, in a bid to prevent the spread of the contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, the presidential spokesperson said on Friday. The travel restriction will take effect from Sunday and run to the end of July, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a national address.

India reports 35,342 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours

India reported on Friday 35,342 new COVID-19 cases, the federal health ministry said. The country's tally of infections now stands at 31.26 million, health ministry data showed.

Cambodia's cyclos bring meals on three wheels to virus-hit Phnom Penh

"Take what you need, donate what you can" is the slogan written on a glass fronted cabinet full of food, water and essential daily items carried by Cambodian cyclo taxi driver Chim Prich. Hit hard by coronavirus movement restrictions, Cambodian cyclo drivers are flocking to the streets of the capital, Phnom Penh, with mobile food banks that allow residents crippled by the pandemic's economic hardships to pick up free food and essentials.

Australia tightens Sydney lockdown in 'national emergency' COVID-19 scare

Australia's New South Wales state on Friday reported its biggest daily rise in new COVID-19 cases this year, prompting a tighter lockdown in Sydney in what state officials called a "national emergency" that has already derailed a broad economic rebound. State Premier Gladys Berejiklian also raised the likelihood that stay-home orders for the country's biggest city would be extended beyond the current end-date of July 30.

Taiwan to ease COVID-19 restrictions as cases drop

Taiwan will ease its COVID-19 restrictions from next week though some will remain in place, the government said on Friday, with rapidly falling case numbers giving authorities confidence to further lower the alert level. Taiwan implemented restrictions on gatherings, including closing entertainment venues and limiting restaurants to take-out service, in mid-May following a spike in domestic cases after months of no or few cases apart from imported ones.

U.S. CDC advisers back J&J COVID-19 vaccine benefits amid neurological illness reports

Despite reports of a rare neurological disorder appearing in some people who have received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, the benefits of its use outweigh the risks, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel said on Thursday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week added a warning to its fact sheet for J&J's single-shot vaccine saying that data suggests there is an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in the six weeks after vaccination.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)