Health News Roundup: U.S. to buy 10 million courses of Pfizer's COVID-19 pill for $5.3 billion; Britain was unprepared for COVID-19, spending watchdog finds and more

The therapy, called AZD7442 or Evusheld, had previously been shown to confer 77% protection against symptomatic illness after three months, in an earlier readout of the late-stage PROVENT trial in August. CVS to close 900 drugstores in three years to beef up health services CVS Health Corp will shut about 900 stores over the next three years, it said on Thursday as the company tries to adapt to changing consumer preferences by pivoting to new store formats that offer more health services.


Reuters | Updated: 19-11-2021 10:38 IST | Created: 19-11-2021 10:29 IST
Health News Roundup: U.S. to buy 10 million courses of Pfizer's COVID-19 pill for $5.3 billion; Britain was unprepared for COVID-19, spending watchdog finds and more
Representative image Image Credit: ANI

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. to buy 10 million courses of Pfizer's COVID-19 pill for $5.3 billion

Pfizer Inc said on Thursday the U.S. government would pay $5.29 billion for 10 million courses of its experimental COVID-19 antiviral drug, as the country rushes to secure promising oral treatments for the disease. The deal is for around twice as many treatment courses as Merck & Co Inc has agreed to supply the United States under its contract. The price for the Pfizer pill is nearly 25%lower at roughly $530 per course, compared with about $700 for Merck's.

Britain was unprepared for COVID-19, spending watchdog finds

The British government was unprepared for a crisis like a coronavirus pandemic, failed to learn from simulation exercises and was distracted by its departure from the European Union, the government's spending watchdog said on Friday. More than 143,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Britain, sparking criticism of Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his response, which was initially based on plans for dealing with a flu pandemic rather than a novel coronavirus.

Florida bans strict vaccine mandates in schools and businesses

Florida on Thursday banned schools and businesses from requiring vaccination against COVID-19 and set the stage for a possible withdrawal from the federal agency aimed at protecting workplace safety. Governor Ron DeSantis, a right-wing Republican widely believed to be planning a run for the U.S. presidency, signed the new laws in a community called Brandon, the same name used as a euphemism for a coarse epithet in a chant against Democratic President Joe Biden.

CureVac to begin trials for next-generation COVID-19 shots within months

German biotechnology company CureVac NV said on Thursday clinical trials for its second-generation COVID-19 vaccine are expected to start within the next few months. Earlier on Thursday, the company published data that showed its next-generation shot, CV2CoV, produced neutralizing antibodies in monkeys that were comparable to those produced by Pfizer Inc's approved vaccine. The efficacy was also greater than the company's first-generation vaccine, it added.

Canada to authorize use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children -source

Canada will announce as expected on Friday it is authorizing the use of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, a government source said on Thursday. The decision will make it the first shot for young children in Canada. Officials had made clear for weeks that the decision would be favorable, noting that incidences of COVID-19 are now highest in those under 12.

Macron says France does not need to lock down non-vaccinated people as COVID spreads

France does not need to follow those European countries imposing COVID-19 lockdowns on unvaccinated people, because of the success of its health pass in curbing the virus' spread, President Emmanuel Macron said. Europe has again become the epicentre of the pandemic, prompting some countries including Germany and Austria to reintroduce restrictions in the run-up to Christmas and causing debate over whether vaccines alone are enough to tame COVID-19.

AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail helps prevent COVID-19 for at least 6 months

AstraZeneca on Thursday cemented its lead in bringing a preventative COVID-19 shot to market, saying its antibody cocktail offered 83% protection over six months, providing another possible weapon in the fight against the pandemic. The therapy, called AZD7442 or Evusheld, had previously been shown to confer 77% protection against symptomatic illness after three months, in an earlier readout of the late-stage PROVENT trial in August.

CVS to close 900 drugstores in three years to beef up health services

CVS Health Corp will shut about 900 stores over the next three years, it said on Thursday as the company tries to adapt to changing consumer preferences by pivoting to new store formats that offer more health services. Best known for its chain of drugstores in more than 9,900 locations, the company has been working to expand its services since it acquired health insurer Aetna in 2018.

Market in China's Wuhan likely origin of COVID-19 outbreak - study

The first known COVID-19 case was a market vendor in the Chinese city of Wuhan, not an accountant who appeared to have no link to the market but whose case contributed to speculation the virus could have leaked from a lab, according to a U.S. study. The origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 remains a mystery and a major source of tension between China and the United States.

Germany to limit public life for the unvaccinated

Germany will limit large parts of public life in areas where hospitals are becoming dangerously full of COVID-19 patients to those who have either been vaccinated or have recovered from the illness, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday. The move is necessary to tackle a "very worrying" fourth wave of the pandemic that is overburdening hospitals, she said.

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

Give Feedback