Health News Roundup: Some Sydney school students return as more COVID-19 curbs eased; U.S. administers 408.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines - CDC and more

It has the second highest toll in Europe behind Britain, and the ninth highest in the world. UK reports most COVID-19 cases in a day since mid-July Britain on Sunday reported 45,140 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily number since the middle of July, and 57 new deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data. Spain's 'Crying Room' seeks to banish mental health taboo "Enter and cry," one sign tells visitors.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Some Sydney school students return as more COVID-19 curbs eased

Thousands of children returned to school in Sydney on Monday, putting an end to months of home learning as Australia's largest city eased more COVID-19 curbs, thanks to rising rates of vaccinations. Masks are no longer mandatory in offices and larger groups are to be allowed in homes and outdoors after the state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, hit a double-dose inoculation rate of 80% at the weekend among those older than 16.

U.S. administers 408.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines - CDC

The United States has administered 408,265,959 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Sunday morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The figures are up from the 407,446,961 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Oct. 16.

Boeing workers stage protest near Seattle over U.S. vaccine mandate

Waving signs like "coercion is not consent," and "stop the mandate," some 200 Boeing Co employees and others staged a protest on Friday over the planemaker's COVID-19 vaccine requirement for U.S. workers. Boeing said on Tuesday it will require https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-will-require-its-125000-us-employees-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19-2021-10-12 its 125,000 U.S. employees to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 under an executive order issued by President Joe Biden for federal contractors.

Italy reports 24 new coronavirus deaths, 2,437 new cases

Italy reported 24 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, up from 14 the previous day, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 2,437 from 2,983. Italy has registered 131,541 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the outbreak in February last year. It has the second highest toll in Europe behind Britain, and the ninth highest in the world.

UK reports most COVID-19 cases in a day since mid-July

Britain on Sunday reported 45,140 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily number since the middle of July, and 57 new deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data.

Spain's 'Crying Room' seeks to banish mental health taboo

"Enter and cry," one sign tells visitors. "I too have anxiety," glows another notice in pink. There are phones in one corner with the names of people you can call when you are feeling down, including a psychologist. Welcome to La Lloreria, or the Crying Room. Anyone can drop in at the project, housed in a building in central Madrid, which aims to remove the stigma in society attached to mental health, crying and seeking help.

Russia's reports record-high daily COVID-19 infections

Russia reported 34,303 cases of new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, a record-high number since the start of the pandemic, data from the state coronavirus task force showed on Sunday. It also reported 997 deaths from the disease, five fewer than the daily record-high of 1,002 reported the previous day.

New Zealand PM Ardern extends COVID-19 lockdown in Auckland

New Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that the country's biggest city Auckland will remain in lockdown for another two weeks as it looks to control the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. There will be no changes in the social restrictions that have already been in place for over two months in Auckland under alert level 3, Ardern said at a news conference.

Biogen trial of ALS drug fails main goal, but company says data are encouraging

A late-stage trial of Biogen Inc's experimental treatment for an inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) failed to reach its main goal, but secondary measures and biomarkers showed favorable trends, the company said on Sunday. Biogen will engage with regulators and other stakeholders "to understand the meaningfulness of this data and potential paths forward," Toby Ferguson, head of the neuromuscular development unit at Biogen, told Reuters. The company is treating trial patients in a follow-on study and recently launched a Phase 3 trial of the drug, tofersen, in patients who are not yet experiencing ALS symptoms.

Merck COVID-19 pill sparks calls for access for lower income countries

The plan to roll out Merck & Co's promising antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 risks repeating the inequities of vaccine distribution, potentially leaving the nations with the greatest need once again at the back of the line, international health groups say. For example, only about 5% of Africa’s population is immunized, creating an urgent need for therapeutics that could keep people out of hospitals. That compares with more than a 70% inoculation rate in most wealthy nations.

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