Health News Roundup: Poland recommends COVID-19 booster shot for people over 50; U.S. to donate an additional 500 million COVID-19 vaccines to the world and more

President Joe Biden is hosting a virtual summit on COVID-19 on Wednesday and is likely to announce the new pledge then. Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday a second shot of its COVID-19 vaccine given about two months after the first increased its effectiveness to 94% in the United States against moderate to severe forms of the disease.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Biden pledges $10 billion to fight global hunger

President Joe Biden told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that the United States would commit $10 billion toward ending hunger in his country and around the world. Nearly one in three people did not have access to adequate food last year, Biden said in his speech to the annual gathering of world leaders, and the United States is committing to rally partners to address malnutrition.

Xi says China will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad

Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that China would not build new coal-fired power projects abroad, using his address at the United Nations General Assembly to add to the country's pledges to combat climate change. Xi provided no details, but depending on how the policy is implemented, the move could significantly limit the financing of coal plants in the developing world.

Poland recommends COVID-19 booster shot for people over 50

Poland will recommend a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people over 50 as well as healthcare workers, a deputy health minister said on Tuesday. Waldemar Kraska said the booster would be administered at least 6 months after the second shot. A third dose was already recommended earlier for the immuno-compromised.

U.S. to donate an additional 500 million COVID-19 vaccines to the world

The United State plans to donate an additional 500 million COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE to nations around the world, lifting the total the country is sharing to more than 1 billion doses, according to a source familiar with the plans. President Joe Biden is hosting a virtual summit on COVID-19 on Wednesday and is likely to announce the new pledge then.

Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday a second shot of its COVID-19 vaccine given about two months after the first increased its effectiveness to 94% in the United States against moderate to severe forms of the disease. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

Lilly to supply up to 220,000 COVID-19 antibody combo doses to European countries

Eli Lilly on Tuesday announced a pact with the European Commission to supply up to 220,000 doses of its COVID-19 dual antibody cocktail to European countries for patients aged 12 years and older who are at a high risk of progressing to severe disease. The treatment, a combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab, is meant for use in patients who do not require supplemental oxygen for COVID-19.

J&J says second shot boosts protection for moderate-severe COVID-19 to 94%

Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday a second shot of its COVID-19 vaccine given about two months after the first increased its effectiveness to 94% in the United States against moderate to severe forms of the disease. That compares to 70% protection with a single dose.

Vaccine inequities expose humanity to variants, Colombia's Duque tells U.N. General Assembly

Colombian President Ivan Duque told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that the international community must equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines to avoid the creation of new, more fearsome variants of the coronavirus. The South American country is aiming to vaccinate at least 70% of its 50 million inhabitants. Production delays at vaccine manufacturers have left some Colombians waiting for doses in recent weeks.

Haiti sees first African swine fever outbreak in 37 years -OIE

Haiti has its first outbreak of the fatal pig virus African swine fever in 37 years, the World Organisation for Animal Health said, fueling concerns about the disease's spread in the Americas. The organisation, known as the OIE, said in a report on Monday that one backyard farm in Anse-à-Pitre, near Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic, suffered an outbreak that began on Aug. 26.

Greece tests drone drug delivery for remote regions

Greece on Tuesday tested a drone to deliver medicines to isolated places in an environmentally friendly way, sending the unmanned vehicle to a 200-person village. The red drone with four rotor blades took off from the northwestern Greek city of Trikala and flew 3 kilometers (0.5 miles) to Leptokarya. It made two stops, landing outside a pharmacy and in a farmer's field.