Health News Roundup: U.S. buys additional doses of Eli Lilly, Regeneron COVID-19 therapy; Biden to meet U.S. CEOs in 'rallying cry' for vaccine mandates and more

The news comes after Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc said late on Tuesday the U.S. government was buying 1.4 million additional doses of its COVID-19 antibody cocktail, REGEN-COV. Biden to meet U.S. CEOs in 'rallying cry' for vaccine mandates U.S. President Joe Biden was scheduled to meet on Wednesday with business leaders and CEOs, as he pushes companies to require workers to be vaccinated amid a surge in COVID-19 infections among those not yet inoculated.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. buys additional doses of Eli Lilly, Regeneron COVID-19 therapy

Eli Lilly and Company said on Wednesday the U.S. government bought 388,000 additional doses of its COVID-19 antibody therapy, as infections surge due to the fast-spreading Delta variant. The news comes after Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc said late on Tuesday the U.S. government was buying 1.4 million additional doses of its COVID-19 antibody cocktail, REGEN-COV.

Biden to meet U.S. CEOs in 'rallying cry' for vaccine mandates

U.S. President Joe Biden was scheduled to meet on Wednesday with business leaders and CEOs, as he pushes companies to require workers to be vaccinated amid a surge in COVID-19 infections among those not yet inoculated. Biden last week announced vaccine mandates for all federal employees and larger companies as the number of infections in the United States continued to rise, hospital beds filled up and face mask requirements returned, all while some Republican-led states defy recommendations from health officials.

U.S. Army says soldiers who refuse COVID-19 vaccine could be dismissed

American army officers who refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus could be suspended from their duties and possibly discharged, the U.S. Army said on Tuesday. After the Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in August, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered that all active duty service members must get vaccinated.

China has fully vaccinated 91% of students aged 12-17 against COVID - state media

China has fully vaccinated 91% of students aged 12-17 against the coronavirus, state television reported on Wednesday, although authorities said schools need to be vigilant. An outbreak in the southeastern province of Fujian this month that has grown to 152 cases includes infections among unvaccinated students in at least four primary schools and two kindergartens, data from local authorities showed.

Analysis - U.S. looks to COVID-19 boosters to curb virus spread

U.S. officials preparing to roll out COVID-19 booster shots in the face of waning vaccine protection and surging hospitalizations and deaths caused by the highly contagious Delta variant are hoping they might prevent mild cases as well. In theory, that could reduce virus transmission - a goal officials have been less explicit about - and hasten America's recovery.

Cuba seeks WHO approval of COVID-19 vaccines as toddlers brace for shot

Cuba on Thursday will seek World Health Organization (WHO) approval of three COVID-19 vaccines, according to the state-run corporation that produces them, even as it begins administering shots en masse to toddlers. Rolando Perez Rodriguez, director of research and development at BioCubaFarma, made the announcement during a discussion broadcast by state media on Tuesday evening on a vaccination campaign that aims to immunize more than 90% of the population by November.

EU cannot rely on soft power alone, Commission chief says

The European Union must find the political will to build forces that can intervene militarily without U.S. support, its chief executive said on Wednesday, urging governments to face up to the "hyper-competitiveness" of China and Russia. A month after the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, throwing the Western withdrawal into chaos, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her annual state of the union speech to keep up momentum for a European defence force.

Saudi Arabia signs MOUs with Pfizer and AstraZeneca - SPA

Saudi Arabia has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Pfizer and AstraZeneca including a pact with the latter to set up clinical research centres, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday. The Ministry of Investment announced the AstraZeneca deal on Twitter.

Nearly 3 million Americans sign up for healthcare during special enrollment period

Nearly three million Americans have signed up for health insurance on the U.S. government website Healthcare.gov during a special enrollment period that began on Feb. 15, President Joe Biden said in a statement on Wednesday. Biden, a Democrat, re-opened the online health insurance marketplace to give more Americans a chance to take advantage of benefits provided under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Italy to make COVID 'Green Pass' mandatory for workers - minister

Italy is to make a COVID-19 "Green Pass" mandatory for public and private sector workers, a minister said on Wednesday, becoming the first European country to do so as it tries to accelerate vaccination rates and stamp out infections. The pass, a digital or paper certificate showing someone has received at least one vaccine dose, tested negative or recently recovered from the virus, was originally conceived to ease travel among EU states.