PFIZER

Most of the countries are in Africa, but the list also includes Haiti, Syria, Cambodia and North Korea. Company spokeswoman Pam Eisele said only a small number of the medicines and vaccines are currently available in the 45 countries. Earlier this month, the head of the World Health Organization called on Pfizer to make its COVID-19 treatment more widely available in poorer countries. Comirnaty brought in nearly $37 billion in sales last year, and analysts expect the company's COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid to add almost $24 billion this year, according to the data firm FactSet. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education.

"Supply was not enough to resolve the issues that these countries are having," Pfizer's CEO said at Davos.

Pfizer's CEO said Wednesday that he "wouldn't worry much" about a recent monkeypox outbreak that has seen cases surge in non-endemic countries.

The consequences of people's hesitancy to wear masks and get vaccinated will likely be seen over the next few months, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said.

APTOPIX Switzerland Davos Forum Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy displayed on a screen as he addresses the audience from Kyiv on a screen during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, May 23, 2022. The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is taking place in Davos from May 22 until May 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (Markus Schreiber)DAVOS, Switzerland — (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that his country will not give up its land to end Russia's war. Speaking by video link Wednesday at a “Ukrainian breakfast" during the World Economic Forum's gathering in Davos, Zelenskyy said he didn't believe Russian president Vladimir Putin fully understood what was going on in Ukraine. The drugmaker announced the program Wednesday at the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, and said it was aimed at improving health equity in 45 lower-income countries.

Switzerland Davos Forum Special police is on guard on the roof of the congress hotel at the 51st annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Davos, Switzerland. The drugmaker announced the program Wednesday at the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, and said it was aimed at improving health equity in 45 lower-income countries. The products, which are widely available in the U.S. and the European Union, include 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, some cancers and rare and inflammatory conditions. Company spokeswoman Pam Eisele says only a small number of the medicines and vaccines are available in the 45 countries. This month, the head of the World Health Organization called on Pfizer to make its COVID-19 treatment more widely available in poorer countries.

Virus Outbreak A woman pushes a baby in a stroller past a sign hanging outside Pfizer headquarters in New York, Monday, May 23, 2022. Three doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday, May 23, 2022. The products, which are widely available in the U.S. and the European Union, include 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, some cancers and rare and inflammatory conditions. Company spokeswoman Pam Eisele said only a small number of the medicines and vaccines are currently available in the 45 countries. Earlier this month, the head of the World Health Organization called on Pfizer to make its COVID-19 treatment more widely available in poorer countries.

Pfizer says it will provide nearly two dozen products at not-for-profit prices in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Three doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday, May 23, 2022. Pfizer plans to give the data to U.S. regulators later this week in a step toward letting the littlest kids get the shots. If FDA confirms the data, the vaccine could “be an important tool to help parents protect their children,” agreed Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous to youngsters as to adults, some children do become severely ill or even die. Pfizer shots for 5- to 11-year-olds opened in November, but only about 30% of that age group have gotten the recommended initial two doses.

Parents hoping to get their youngest children vaccinated against COVID-19 have some encouraging news. That news comes a month after Moderna said it would ask regulators to OK its two shot regimen for the youngest kids. (AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin, File) (Emma H. Tobin)Parents hoping to get their youngest children vaccinated against COVID-19 got some encouraging news Monday. That news comes a month after Moderna said it would ask regulators to OK its two doses tor the youngest kids. It’s not clear how much demand there will be to vaccinate the youngest kids, however.

Parents hoping to get their youngest children vaccinated against COVID-19 have some encouraging news.

Circuit Court of Appeals last month vacated a lower court ruling blocking the mandate and ordered dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the policy, which was ordered by President Joe Biden in September. On Monday, the 5th Circuit asked the government to respond by June 2; it was unclear if the court would take any action before then. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas by then-President Donald Trump, issued a nationwide injunction against the requirement in January. At the time, the White House said 98% of federal workers were already vaccinated. In February, one 5th Circuit panel refused to block Brown's ruling pending appeal.

A federal appeals court is being asked to reconsider its decision allowing the Biden administration to require that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The FDA said it will complete its review of Pfizer and Moderna's applications within days of each other.

Pfizer says preliminary data shows its three-dose vaccine regimen is 80% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in kids 6 months to 4 years old.

Pfizer says preliminary data shows its three-dose vaccine regimen is 80% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in kids 6 months to 4 years old.

Pfizer plans to submit the new data to the Food and Drug Administration this week, bringing families with young children one step closer to a long-awaited vaccine.

The stocks making the biggest moves in premarket trading include Electronic Arts, VMWare, GameStop, and more.

Pfizer and BioNTech said Monday that three doses of their COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children ranging from 6 months old to under 5 years old, The Associated Press is reporting. >> Read more trending newsIn a news release, the drugmakers said preliminary data from a Phase 2/3 clinical trial of 1,678 young children showed that three 3-microgram doses of the vaccine were safe and 80.3% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. Only 10 COVID-19 have been identified so far among study participants; the companies said they won’t perform a formal analysis until researchers log 21 cases, the companies said. We published data indicating that a low dose of 3 µg of our #mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, carefully selected based on tolerability data, is effective and provides children under 5 years of age with a high level of protection against the recent #COVID19 strains. https://t.co/Jv0Jo0Gtyq — Moderna (@moderna_tx) April 28, 2022Check back for more on this developing story.

(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) (Rogelio V. Solis)Three doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday. Pfizer plans to give the data to U.S. regulators later this week in a step toward letting the littlest kids get the shots. FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks has pledged the agency will “move quickly without sacrificing our standards” in evaluating tot-sized doses from both Pfizer and Moderna. While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous to youngsters as to adults, some children do become severely ill or even die. Pfizer shots for 5- to 11-year-olds opened in November, but only about 30% of that age group have gotten the recommended initial two doses.

Pfizer says three small doses of its COVID-19 vaccine protect kids under 5.

A third dose of the vaccine elicited a strong immune response and was well tolerated by the kids, according to Pfizer.

Mikah Carney and John Valenta were fighting leukemia when shortages hit the drug they needed. Bill Whitaker spoke with their mothers for this week's report, "In Short Supply"

The antiviral drug is prescribed to those at risk of severe disease. It's been credited with reducing hospitalizations. But then there's the "Paxlovid rebound."

Virus Outbreak Kid Booster FILE - A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 12 years old sits ready for use at a vaccination site in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) (LM Otero)Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday. The hope is that an extra shot will shore up protection for kids ages 5 to 11 as infections once again are on the rise. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech currently make the only COVID-19 vaccine available for children of any age in the U.S. Those ages 5 to 11 receive a dose that’s one-third the amount given to everyone 12 and older.

It's not just among kids — infections are on the rise nationwide.

Virus Outbreak Kid Booster FILE - A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 12 years old sits ready for use at a vaccination site in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) (LM Otero)Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday. The hope is that an extra shot will shore up protection for kids ages 5 to 11 as infections once again are on the rise. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech currently make the only COVID-19 vaccine available for children of any age in the U.S. Those ages 5 to 11 receive a dose that’s one-third the amount given to everyone 12 and older.

Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 years old are fully vaccinated and will become eligible for the third shot.

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees, as expected, it would open a third COVID-19 shot to healthy elementary-age kids.

Virus Outbreak Kid Vaccine Booster FILE - A nurse holds a vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, right, and a vial of the vaccine for adults, which has a different colored label, at a vaccination station in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. U.S. regulators authorized a COVID-19 booster shot for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, hoping an extra vaccine dose will enhance their protection as infections once again are on the rise. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) (Rogelio V. Solis)Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday. The hope is that an extra shot will shore up protection for kids ages 5 to 11 as infections once again are on the rise. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech make the only COVID-19 vaccine available for children of any age in the U.S. Those ages 5 to 11 receive a kid-sized dose that’s one-third the amount given to everyone 12 and older.

More than 8,000 children have developed MIS-C since the start the pandemic, with kids ages 5 to 11 most commonly affected at 46% of reported cases, according to CDC data. Currently, only 29% of children ages 5 to 11 in the U.S. have complete their first Pfizer vaccination series, according to the CDC. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million kids in the age group have caught Covid and more than 15,000 have been hospitalized, according CDC data. The overwhelming majority of reactions to the vaccine, 97%, were not serious, according to CDC data. The CDC has verified 20 cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, in kids ages 5 to 11 as of April following Pfizer vaccination.

(NCD)The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory panel is meeting Thursday to debate whether the CDC should follow the Food and Drug Administration’s lead and approve COVID-19 booster shots for children between the ages of 5 and 11. >> Read more trending newsThe Independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will vote Thursday afternoon on whether children will be eligible for an additional vaccine. The study was conducted on 4,500 children in the age group. >>Related: Pfizer says COVID-19 booster raises antibodies for kids aged 5 to 11The American Academy of Pediatrics said that nearly 13.2 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. The FDA’s approval for the booster for that age group came before an emergency use authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine for children under the age of 5.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech make the only COVID-19 vaccine available for children of any age in the U.S.

The CDC must decide whether to formally recommend the booster for this age group.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster shot authorized for 5- to 11-year-olds by the FDA The FDA authorized the booster for those in the age group that has the lowest coronavirus vaccination rate of all eligible Americans. (NCD)The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5-11. The agency authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 last October. A Pfizer booster shot for those ages 12 and above was authorized by the FDA on Jan. 3. Anyone age 12 and older in the U.S. is eligible for a booster shot at least five months after their second COVID-19 vaccination.

U.S. regulators authorized a COVID-19 booster shot for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, hoping an extra vaccine dose will enhance their protection as infections once again are on the rise. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) (Rogelio V. Solis)U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized a COVID-19 booster shot for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds, hoping an extra vaccine dose will enhance their protection as infections once again creep upward. Everyone 12 and older already was supposed to get one booster dose for the best protection against the newest coronavirus variants -- and some people, including those 50 and older, can choose a second booster. The Food and Drug Administration’s authorization now opens a third shot to elementary-age kids, too — at least five months after their last dose. While the coronavirus is more dangerous to adults than to children, youngsters can get severely ill -- and more than 350 children ages 5 to 11 have died, according to CDC’s count.

U.S. regulators have authorized a COVID-19 vaccine booster for healthy children ages 5 to 11.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized a Pfizer booster dose for children ages 5 through 11 years old at least five months after they complete their two-dose primary series. Dr. Peter Marks, head of the FDA division responsible for vaccines, said data increasingly shows that the protection provided by two shots wanes off over time. The FDA determined that a third shot can help boost protection for children in this age group and the benefits outweigh the risks, Marks said. The FDA did not convene its committee of independent experts to discuss the data before authorizing the booster dose. New hospital admissions of people with Covid have also increased 8% over the past week, according to the CDC.

Shares were mixed in Asia on Wednesday with Chinese benchmarks pressing higher after a rally in technology companies helped reverse most of an early slide on Wall Street. On Thursday, it will release its report on producer prices, or wholesale prices that impact businesses, for April. Stocks ended mixed on Wall Street Tuesday after a rally in technology companies helped reverse most of an early slide. Higher prices on raw materials, shipping and labor have been cutting into corporate financial results and forecasts. Peloton tumbled 7.4% as the former pandemic darling of investors reported results that were much weaker than Wall Street was expecting.

The drug giant’s purchase comes as good news for investors desperate for biotech M&A. It’s also a sensible addition to Pfizer’s portfolio.

Stocks shed early gains and fell in afternoon trading on Wall Street Tuesday as the market remains shaky a day after a broad sell-off. (Courtney Crow/New York Stock Exchange via AP) (Courtney Crow)NEW YORK — (AP) — Stocks turned mixed on Wall Street in afternoon trading Tuesday after a rally in technology companies helped reverse an early slide. The central bank is raising interest rates from historic lows to fight persistently rising inflation, which is at its highest levels in four decades. Peloton tumbled 7.9% as the former pandemic darling of investors reported results that were much weaker than Wall Street was expecting. Wall Street will get some more details on inflation later this week.

Financial Markets Wall Street FILE - Pedestrians pass the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, May 5, 2022, in the Manhattan borough of New York. Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Wednesday, May 10, as investors are tempted by lower prices a day after the S&P 500 hit its lowest level in more than a year. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) (John Minchillo)NEW YORK — (AP) — Stocks shed early gains and fell in afternoon trading on Wall Street Tuesday as the market remains shaky a day after a broad sell-off. U.S. crude oil prices fell 3% on Tuesday, but are up more than 30% in 2022. Peloton tumbled 15% as the former pandemic darling of investors reported results that were much weaker than Wall Street was expecting.

Financial Markets Wall Street FILE - Pedestrians pass the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, May 5, 2022, in the Manhattan borough of New York. Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Wednesday, May 10, as investors are tempted by lower prices a day after the S&P 500 hit its lowest level in more than a year. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) (John Minchillo)NEW YORK — (AP) — Stocks shed early gains and turned lower in late morning trading on Wall Street Tuesday as the market remains shaky a day after a broad sell-off. Peloton tumbled 16.5% as the former pandemic darling of investors reported results that were much weaker than Wall Street was expecting. Wall Street will get some more details on inflation later this week.

Virus Outbreak COVID Pill FILE - In this photo provided by Pfizer, a lab technician visually inspects COVID-19 Paxlovid tablet samples in Freiburg, Germany on December 2021. (Pfizer via AP, File) (thomas hansmann.fotograf)GENEVA — (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization called on Pfizer to make its COVID-19 treatment more widely available in poorer countries, saying Tuesday that the pharmaceutical company's deal allowing generic producers to make the drug was insufficient. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news briefing that Pfizer's treatment was still too expensive. Pfizer signed an agreement in November with the U.N.-backed Medicines Patent Pool to allow other drugmakers to make generic copies of its pill, for use in 95 countries. The U.S. paid about $500 for each course of Pfizer’s treatment, which consists of three pills taken twice a day for five days.

The head of the World Health Organization has called on Pfizer to make its COVID-19 treatment more widely available in poorer countries.

Financial Markets Wall Street FILE - Pedestrians pass the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, May 5, 2022, in the Manhattan borough of New York. Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Wednesday, May 10, as investors are tempted by lower prices a day after the S&P 500 hit its lowest level in more than a year. Treasury yields have been generally rising and stocks have been extremely volatile as Wall Street adjusts to the Federal Reserve's aggressive policy shift. Many companies have been raising prices on everything from clothing to food, raising concerns that consumers will eventually cut spending, which would hurt economic growth. Wall Street will get some more details on inflation later this week.

The stocks making the biggest moves in premarket trading include Peloton, Novavax, Vroom, and more.

Novavax reported net income of $203 million in the first quarter, compared to a net loss of $222.7 million the same period last year.

The White House has warned that it does not have enough money to buy next generation Covid vaccines for all Americans ahead of a possible fall infection wave.

Virus Outbreak COVID Pill FILE - In this photo provided by Pfizer, a lab technician visually inspects COVID-19 Paxlovid tablet samples in Freiburg, Germany in December 2021. Paxlovid has become the go-to option against COVID-19 because of its at-home convenience and impressive results in heading off severe disease. Doctors have started reporting rare cases of patients whose symptoms return several days after completing Paxlovid's five-day regimen of pills. It advised against a second round because there’s little risk of severe disease or hospitalization among patients who relapse. That may come from a large, ongoing Pfizer study that includes high-risk vaccinated people.

A small number of COVID-19 patients are relapsing after taking Pfizer's antiviral pill, raising questions about the drug at the center of the U.S. response effort.

COVID cases are falling everywhere besides Africa and the Americas

If symptoms return, FDA says there's "no evidence" taking more Paxlovid helps.

The FDA said the shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request J&J's vaccine.

The Food and Drug Administration said the shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request J&J's vaccine.

On Thursday, May 5, 2022, U.S. regulators strictly limited who can receive this vaccine due to a rare but serious risk of blood clots. The Food and Drug Administration said the shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request J&J's vaccine. FDA officials said in a statement that they decided to restrict J&J's vaccine after taking another look at data on the risk of life-threatening blood clots within two weeks of vaccination. J&J’s vaccine was initially considered an important tool in fighting the pandemic because it required only one shot. And while the blood clots seen with J&J's shot are rare, officials say they're still occurring.

U.S. regulators are strictly limiting who can receive Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to a rare but serious risk of blood clots.

“​​I imagine this is what grapefruit juice mixed with soap would taste like.”

Prescriptions for Pfizer’s Covid-19 antiviral are skyrocketing, but it remains unclear how much the drug helps vaccinated patients — especially if they are at low risk of serious disease.

The Food and Drug Administration has set tentative dates in June to publicly review COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest American children.

Moderna is asking U.S. regulators to open its COVID-19 vaccine to the nation's youngest children.

The report also says the omicron variant contributed to the growth of COVID-19 infections among the populace.

COVID-19 patients have two treatment options that can be taken at home.

COVID-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, but Moderna and Pfizer are testing combination shots as a possible new kind of booster.

Pfizer wants to expand its COVID-19 booster shots to healthy 5- to 11-year-olds.

Germany’s health ministry says the country may have to discard 3 million doses of expired COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June.

Many Americans can now get a second COVID-19 booster, but it’s hard to tell who really needs another shot right now and who could wait.

A federal judge in Texas is barring the Navy from taking action for now against sailors who've objected to being vaccinated against COVID-19 on religious grounds.

Americans age 50 and older can get a second COVID-19 booster if it’s been at least four months since their last vaccination.

The European Union's drug regulator says it has begun an accelerated review process for an experimental coronavirus vaccine booster made by the Spanish company Hipra.

Moderna says it will ask regulators to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 6 but several hurdles need to be cleared before the shots could become available.

Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

If you take blood pressure medication, listen up.

Drugmaker Moderna has asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a fourth shot of its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose for all adults.

The U.N.-backed Medicines Patent Pool says that nearly three dozen companies worldwide will soon start making generic versions of Pfizer’s coronavirus pill.

Drugmaker Pfizer is expected to request authorization this week for an additional COVID-19 booster dose for seniors.

The European Medicines Agency said it has authorized Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for children aged six to 11, in addition to recommending booster shots of Pfizer’s vaccine for those aged 12 and over.

Pfizer’s new COVID-19 treatment came with a catch when it debuted late last year: It can take months to make the tablets.

U.S. health officials say some people getting Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should consider waiting up to eight weeks between the first and second doses.

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced it may be recommending a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot as early as this fall.

COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy may protect babies after they're born and lead to fewer hospitalized infants.

U.S. regulators have put the brakes on their push to speed Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children under 5.

The Air Force has became the second military service to approve religious exemptions to the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine, granting requests from nine airmen to avoid the shots.

COVID-19 vaccine sales boosted Pfizer earnings well past fourth-quarter expectations, but the drugmaker has set a lower-than-expected bar for 2022.

Ugandan authorities are seeking to legally mandate vaccines in draft legislation aimed at boosting the East African country's drive to inoculate more people against COVID-19.

Africa’s top health official is launching a campaign to enlist young people to encourage vaccinations, as just 11.3% of the continent’s 1.3 billion people are vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines still are saving untold lives, but omicron's easy spread has many wondering if they will need boosters every few months or even a new kind of shot altogether.

The FDA is meeting later this month to consider allowing Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as six months old.

COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 5 may be available in the U.S. as early as March, but there are several hurdles still to clear.

U.S. regulators are urging drugmaker Pfizer to apply for emergency authorization for a two-dose regimen of its COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old.

Pfizer is asking U.S. regulators to authorize extra-low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5.

The World Health Organization says overuse of gloves and “moon suits” and the use of billions of masks and vaccination syringes to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus have spurred a huge glut of health care waste worldwide.

Austrian officials plan to loosen coronavirus restrictions in February.

Thai health authorities have approved new guidelines outlining the parameters for declaring the coronavirus pandemic an endemic disease.

The Navy said it has discharged 23 active duty sailors for refusing the coronavirus vaccine, marking the first time it has thrown currently serving sailors out of the military over the mandatory shots.

Pfizer and BioNTech have begun studying a COVID-19 vaccine tweaked to match to the omicron variant in healthy adults.

The Omicron BA.2 subvariant, also known as “stealth omicron,” has spread across 40 countries, including the United States, according to a recent report by Newsweek.

A U.S. judge in Texas has issued a nationwide injunction barring the federal government from enforcing President Joe Biden’s requirement that federal workers without qualifying medical or religious exemptions be vaccinated for COVID-19.

The World Health Organization says that coronavirus vaccine boosters should now now be offered to people, starting with the most vulnerable, in a move away from its previous insistence that boosters were unnecessary for healthy adults and an acknowledgment that the vaccine supply is improving globally.

The pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline says it has rejected an unsolicited 50 billion-pound ($68.4 billion) bid from Unilever for its consumer healthcare goods unit.