Health News Roundup: WTO chief says vaccine answer close, but facing effort to block it; CDC panel votes to recommend mRNA COVID-19 vaccines over J&J's and more

Britain has yet to approve paxlovid. Novavax COVID-19 vaccine could get EU approval next week - FT Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine could receive approval from Europe's drug regulator next week and subsequently an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, sending shares of the U.S. drugmaker up 7%.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Omicron could soon swamp critical care in Canada's most populous province

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in Ontario, Canada's most populous province, and could overwhelm intensive care units early next month without prompt intervention, a panel of experts said on Thursday. "This will likely be the hardest wave of the pandemic," said Steini Brown, head of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

Refugees lack COVID shots because drugmakers fear lawsuits - documents

Tens of millions of migrants may be denied COVID-19 vaccines from a global programme because some major manufacturers are worried about legal risks from harmful side effects, according to officials and internal documents from Gavi, the charity operating the programme, reviewed by Reuters. Nearly two years into a pandemic that has already killed more than 5 million people, only about 7% of people in low-income countries have received a dose. Vaccine deliveries worldwide have been delayed by production problems, hoarding by rich countries, export restrictions and red tape. Many programmes have also been hampered by hesitancy among the public.

Exclusive: WTO chief says vaccine answer close, but facing effort to block it

The World Trade Organization is close to resolving a dispute over how to spread COVID-19 vaccines more widely and fairly, but facing an "orchestrated effort" to block a deal, the body's chief said on Thursday. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters she had held talks this month with trade ministers from India, South Africa, the European Union and the United States on how to break an impasse over the issue of intellectual property rights.

WHO makes interim recommendations for mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines

The World Health Organization issued interim recommendations on Thursday for mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers for both the second dose and booster shots. Depending on availability, mRNA vaccines, such as those developed by Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc can be used as subsequent doses after initial doses of AstraZeneca's vectored vaccine and vice versa, the global health body said.

CDC panel votes to recommend mRNA COVID-19 vaccines over J&J's

A panel of outside advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday voted to recommend Americans choose to receive one of the other two authorized COVID-19 vaccines over Johnson & Johnson's shot, due to rare but sometimes fatal cases of blood clotting. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization voted unanimously to make the recommendation. The regulator still needs to sign off on the guidance.

Greece further amends COVID travel rules for foreigners

Foreign travellers can opt to show a rapid antigen test or a PCR test to enter Greece, the country said on Thursday, amending a rule it announced only the day before to help curb the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Health authorities said on Wednesday that the measure - which will be in effect from Dec. 19 - would require a PCR test no more than 48 hours old.

New Mexico sheriff struggles in undertaker role as COVID deaths mount

New Mexico sheriff Shane Ferrari is used to planning ahead to buy supplies like ammunition that have run short in the pandemic. In the past 12 months, he has also had to buy enough coffins and shelving for COVID-19 victims who are stacking up at the family funeral home that he found himself running.

AstraZeneca therapy works against Omicron; results mixed for Regeneron

AstraZeneca and Regeneron on Thursday reported contrasting data on the effectiveness of their COVID-19 antibody therapies against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, underscoring the major challenges ahead for drugmakers. U.S.-based Regeneron said its REGEN-COV therapy, also called Ronapreve, is less effective against Omicron, though it is still active against the Delta variant, confirming indications from lab tests and computer modelling late last month.

Britain banking on COVID antivirals to get through Omicron winter

Britain expects to have antiviral COVID-19 pills produced by Merck & Co Inc and Pfizer available over the winter, its Antiviral Taskforce Chair said on Thursday, as Omicron continues its lightning advance through the country. Eddie Gray told reporters he expected both Merck's molnupiravir and Pfizer's paxlovid treatments to be available throughout the winter period, which he defined as between now and the end of March. Britain has yet to approve paxlovid.

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine could get EU approval next week - FT

Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine could receive approval from Europe's drug regulator next week and subsequently an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, sending shares of the U.S. drugmaker up 7%. A WHO approval could come once the health body issued its own emergency use listing or if the EMA gave it a conditional marketing authorization, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

(With inputs from agencies.)