Health News Roundup: Architect of Sweden's light-touch COVID response gets job at WHO; Hong Kong to focus COVID resources on elderly, no date set for mass tests and more

But there are no oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 authorized in the United States for younger children. Attacks on Ukrainian hospitals, ambulances increasing rapidly, WHO warns Attacks on hospitals, ambulances and other health care facilities in Ukraine have increased rapidly in recent days and the country is running short of vital medical supplies, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Architect of Sweden's light-touch COVID response gets job at WHO

The man who became the face of Sweden's no-lockdown pandemic policy, Anders Tegnell, is stepping down as chief epidemiologist to take up a role at the World Health Organization (WHO), the Swedish Health Agency said on Wednesday.

Tegnell, whose almost daily news conferences had Swedes glued to their screens for much of the pandemic, will become a senior expert at a WHO group tasked with coordinating the COVID vaccine response between health and vaccine organizations.

Hong Kong to focus COVID resources on elderly, no date set for mass tests

Hong Kong announced plans to devote more medical resources to elderly people on Wednesday as COVID-19 infections swept through care homes and deaths climbed rapidly among the mainly unvaccinated seniors. The government will strengthen medical treatment and resources and set up more isolation and temporary care facilities for elderly coronavirus patients, Chief Executive Carrie Lam told a media briefing.

Austria says it is putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on ice

Austria is suspending its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, its ministers for health and constitutional affairs said on Wednesday, six days before fines for breaches were due to start being imposed. The measure, the most sweeping in the European Union as it applied to all adults with few exceptions, has been in effect since Feb. 5, but enforcement was only due to begin on March 15.

Guatemala law punishes abortion with prison for up to 25 years

Guatemala's Congress approved on Tuesday a law that punishes abortion with up to 25 years in prison and prohibits same-sex marriage and teaching about sexual diversity in schools. Proposed by the conservative Viva Party, the law for the protection of life and the family was unexpectedly approved by a large majority of lawmakers including allies of President Alejandro Giammattei.

German cabinet approves scrapping of Nazi-era abortion law

Germany's cabinet on Wednesday approved legislation that will do away with a Nazi-era law forbidding doctors from providing information about abortions. Doctors in Germany are allowed to say they offer termination of pregnancies but are not allowed to provide any further information on such procedures.

Indian companies stay put in Russia but pharma exports could be hit

Indian pharmaceutical major Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd said on Wednesday it was focused on business continuity in and around Russia, as Indian drug exporters brace for temporary disruptions to sales due to the Ukraine crisis. No Indian company has publicly withdrawn from Russia and New Delhi has declined to condemn Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, despite pressure from the United States to do so. Western companies such as McDonald's, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Starbucks have stopped sales of their best-known products in Russia.

Hong Kong races to build isolation facilities as COVID cases surge

Hong Kong is rushing to build facilities for COVID-19 patients, with Reuters drone footage showing construction work in full swing after a temporary bridge linking the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen to the Asian financial hub opened at the weekend. As a surge in COVID-19 cases overwhelms Hong Kong's healthcare facilities, authorities have deployed mainland medical and construction workers, as well as building materials, to speed up efforts to contain an outbreak of the virus.

Shanghai steps up defences against wave of asymptomatic COVID cases

The Chinese financial hub of Shanghai is moving quickly to halt the spread of COVID-19 amid a rising wave of local symptomless cases, testing tens of thousands of people, delaying dozens of concerts and exhibitions and shutting some public venues. Shanghai reported 62 domestically transmitted asymptomatic infections for Tuesday, the seventh consecutive day of increases in such cases, official data showed on Wednesday. That was the highest daily count for the city since China started in late March 2020 to classify symptomless infections separately from confirmed cases.

Pfizer begins COVID pill study in high-risk children aged 6-17

Pfizer said on Wednesday it has begun a mid-to-late-stage study of its antiviral COVID-19 pill for non-hospitalized children aged 6-17 years who are at high risk of developing severe illness. Pfizer's Paxlovid pill is authorized for emergency use in the United States for kids 12 years or older and high-risk adults. But there are no oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 authorized in the United States for younger children.

Attacks on Ukrainian hospitals, ambulances increasing rapidly, WHO warns

Attacks on hospitals, ambulances and other health care facilities in Ukraine have increased rapidly in recent days and the country is running short of vital medical supplies, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. The U.N. agency confirmed on Monday that at least nine people had died in 16 attacks on health care facilities since the start of a Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. It did not say who was responsible.