Health News Roundup: 3M, Qiagen to comply with Biden's COVID-19 vaccination, test mandate; U.S. FDA may authorize COVID-19 vaccine for kids based on two months of safety data and more

The timeline is based on the expectation that Pfizer, which developed the shot with Germany's BioNTech, will have enough data from clinical trials to seek emergency use authorization (EUA) for that age group from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) towards the end of this month, the sources said. White House says Biden, Xi discussed origins of COVID probe U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the investigation into the origins of COVID-19 during a call on Thursday with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, according to the White House.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

3M, Qiagen to comply with Biden's COVID-19 vaccination, test mandate

3M Co, the biggest U.S. producer of N95 masks, and German genetic testing specialist Qiagen said separately on Friday that they will comply with the Biden administration's new COVID-19 vaccination and testing mandate for workplaces. "We strongly support all initiatives aiming to increase vaccination rates, especially at the workplace," Qiagen told Reuters in an email.

U.S. FDA may authorize COVID-19 vaccine for kids based on two months of safety data

U.S. health regulators said children in clinical trials testing COVID-19 vaccines should be monitored for at least two months for side effects, suggesting that the agency is considering a quicker path to authorize the shot for emergency use than full approval. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it was looking to complete the data review as quickly as possible, likely in a matter of weeks rather than months.

COVID-19 vaccines hold strong against Delta, protection waning in older adults

Three U.S. studies suggest COVID-19 vaccines offer strong protection against hospitalization and death, even in the face of the highly transmissible Delta variant, but vaccine protection appears to be waning among older populations, especially among those 75 and older. U.S. data on hospitalization from nine states during the period when the Delta variant was dominant also suggests that the Moderna Inc vaccine was more effective at preventing hospitalizations among individuals of all ages than vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer Inc or Johnson & Johnson.

Analysis-Biden's vaccine mandate signals a White House done with persuasion

President Joe Biden and his aides have concluded something in recent weeks: The Mr. Nice Guy approach isn't working. By introducing vast new vaccine mandates he once opposed, Biden is fighting back against what the White House sees as the sabotage of their agenda by a petulant, politically motivated minority.

Australia's Queensland state warns of possible COVID-19 lockdown

Australia's third most populous state said on Saturday it may order a snap lockdown after a cluster of COVID-19 cases, as the country posted a record one-day rise in daily infections.

Queensland state, home to more than 5 million people, said it had detected five new infections in the past 24 hours after a family tested positive. The next few days would be critical to see if a lockdown was warranted, authorities said.

Biden vaccine mandates: Republicans angry, business groups muted

Republicans on Friday vowed to fight U.S. President Joe Biden's new vaccine mandate covering big companies and federal employees, but business groups that often agree with them on issues like taxes are not joining in. The mandate https://reut.rs/3niM2M3, which the White House says would cover 100 million U.S. workers and applies to about two-thirds of all U.S. employees, is being written in part by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

China reports 25 new COVID-19 cases, up from 17 a day earlier

China reported 25 new COVID-19 cases on the mainland for Sept. 10, up from 17 a day earlier, the national health authority said on Saturday. One of the new infections was locally transmitted while the rest were imported, the National Health Commission said.

Exclusive-U.S. could authorize Pfizer COVID-19 shot for kids age 5-11 in October -sources

Top U.S. health officials believe that Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine could be authorized for children aged 5-11 years old by the end of October, two sources familiar with the situation said on Friday. The timeline is based on the expectation that Pfizer, which developed the shot with Germany's BioNTech, will have enough data from clinical trials to seek emergency use authorization (EUA) for that age group from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) towards the end of this month, the sources said.

White House says Biden, Xi discussed origins of COVID probe

U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the investigation into the origins of COVID-19 during a call on Thursday with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, according to the White House. "They did discuss a range of trans-national issues including COVID-19, and understanding its origins is of course a primary concern for this administration," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday. "Yes, it was a topic raised, but I'm not going to go into further detail."

S.Africa's regulator approves Pfizer COVID-19 shot for children 12 and up

South Africa's health regulator has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use by children aged 12 and older, paving the way for the government to offer vaccinations to teenagers. The South African Health Products Authority (SAPHRA) said the decision came after a review of updated safety and efficacy information submitted in March this year.