Health News Roundup: CDC doesn't yet see signal Omicron variant more severe in young kids; Germany tightens dining rules due to Omicron, loosens quarantine and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. CDC doesn't yet see signal Omicron variant more severe in young kids COVID-19 hospitalizations in young children have reached their highest level yet in the United States, as Omicron fuels a major surge in cases, but it is not clear yet whether the variant causes more severe disease in young children, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

CDC doesn't yet see signal Omicron variant more severe in young kids

COVID-19 hospitalizations in young children have reached their highest level yet in the United States, as Omicron fuels a major surge in cases, but it is not clear yet whether the variant causes more severe disease in young children, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky's telephone briefing with reporters on COVID-19 was among the first in months and followed criticism over recent guidance given by the agency, and lack of access by the media to her beyond carefully orchestrated and televised White House COVID-19 briefings.

Rapid nose swab tests for COVID may not detect Omicron quickly enough - expert says

Swabbing the nose with a rapid antigen test will not reliably detect the Omicron variant in the first few days of an infection, so manufacturers should seek U.S. approval to allow users to safely collect samples from the throat as well, according to an infectious diseases expert. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expressed concerns over the safety of self throat swabbing.

Germany tightens dining rules due to Omicron, loosens quarantine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and regional leaders tightened the rules for restaurant and bar visits but shortened COVID-19 quarantine periods on Friday in response to the Omicron variant. Scholz added that all 16 state leaders supported the implementation of a general vaccination mandate and that the Bundestag lower house of parliament would discuss drafts of it soon.

Omicron pushes U.S. COVID hospitalizations toward record high

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States are poised to hit a new high as early as Friday, according to a Reuters tally, surpassing the record set in January of last year as the highly contagious Omicron variant fuels a surge in infections. Hospitalizations have increased steadily since late December as Omicron quickly overtook Delta as the dominant coronavirus variant in the United States, although experts say Omicron will likely prove less deadly than prior iterations.

Factbox-When and how will Americans get free COVID-19 tests promised by Biden?

The U.S. government has signed the first contract involving 500 million rapid COVID-19 tests that President Joe Biden promised in December would be free to Americans who request them, an official said on Friday. The following describes how the distribution of tests will work in the fight against the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant:

Canada warns provinces they need to do more to fight Omicron variant

Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on Friday warned some of the country's 10 provinces that they needed to do more to fight the Omicron coronavirus variant and prevent healthcare systems from being swamped. New daily cases of COVID-19 soared by 65% in the last week across Canada, and hospitals say it is becoming increasingly hard to maintain staffing levels.

UK says 4th COVID jabs not needed for now as booster effect lasts

Booster jabs are still providing high levels of protection for older people against severe disease from the Omicron coronavirus variant and there is no need for now for people to have a fourth shot, British health officials said on Friday. Around three months after receiving a third jab, protection against hospitalisation among those aged 65 and over remained at about 90%, the UK Health Security Agency said.

Mexico grants emergency use approval for Merck's COVID-19 pill

Mexico's health regulator has granted authorization for emergency use of drugmaker Merck's COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday. The health regulator, COFEPRIS, was expected to soon also approve Pfizer's Paxlovid pill to treat COVID-19, Lopez Obrador added at a regular news conference. Both medications were approved last month in the United States.

Purdue Pharma can appeal rejection of bankruptcy plan

A U.S. judge on Friday allowed Purdue Pharma to immediately challenge her rejection of legal protections for Sackler family members who own the OxyContin maker, and which were a major component of its bankruptcy reorganization plan. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon's ruling means Purdue will have another shot at keeping intact a $4.5 billion opioid litigation settlement at the heart of the company's plan. She gave Purdue until Jan. 17 to file the appeal to the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine protects children against rare COVID-19 complication - CDC

Two doses of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are highly protective against a rare but often serious condition in children that causes organ inflammation weeks after COVID-19 infections, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report said on Friday. The vaccine was estimated to be 91% effective in preventing Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) in 12- to 18-year-olds, the study said. MIS-C causes inflammation in children in organs including the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain two to six weeks after a mild or asymptomatic infection.

(With inputs from agencies.)