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President Biden announced Monday that he plans to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11, about three years after it was first declared. >> Read more trending newsBiden reportedly told Congress Monday that he was planning to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations that were set up to address COVID-19 and will be doing so on May 11. The Biden administration has been reportedly renewing the public health emergency every 90 days, according to the newspaper. The announcement comes a day before the House is expected to vote on a bill that would immediately end the public health emergency, according to the Times. With the emergency declarations ending, the cost of COVID-19 vaccines is expected to increase greatly once the federal government stops paying for them.

WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11. The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will charge as much as $130 per dose. “The country has largely returned to normal,” Cole said Monday, introducing a Republican-backed bill calling for an end to the health emergency.

A key advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration met on Thursday to discuss the future of COVID-19 vaccination in the United States. The FDA meeting comes at a time when health experts across the globe have acknowledged that COVID-19 appears to be moving toward becoming an endemic disease. One of the primary goals of the FDA meeting was to determine a new strategy to make COVID-19 vaccination — an important weapon against the virus — simpler. Another advantage to implementing this strategy, he explained, is that people can get both the COVID-19 vaccine and the influenza vaccine at the same time. “We need ongoing funding for new vaccine development, and that is just because this [COVID-19 virus] is here to stay,” Gandhi said.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson exposes Pfizer's alleged manipulation of the COVID-19 virus as many suffer from the pandemic on "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

The Food and Drug Administration's independent advisory committee on Thursday unanimously recommended replacing Pfizer and Moderna's original Covid vaccine used in the U.S. for everyone's first two immunizations with the new bivalent omicron shots. Instead, the drugmakers' bivalent omicron shots that target the omicron BA.5 subvariant as well as the original strain would be used for the entire vaccination series. Currently, Pfizer's and Moderna's omicron shots are only authorized as a booster, while the first two doses are still their old shots based on the original Covid strain. The FDA has proposed moving to a system that resembles how the agency updates and rolls out flu shots every year. The agency would select a Covid vaccine formulation in June to target the variant that is expected to dominate in the fall and winter.

Preliminary CDC data indicated a possible stroke risk following simultaneous administration of the Pfizer Covid booster and the flu vaccine.

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The CDC study published Wednesday provides the first estimate of the omicron shots' real-world effectiveness against the XBB family of subvariants. For people ages 18 to 49, the omicron booster reduced the risk of mild illness by about 48% two to three months after receiving the shot. The shots provided 38% protection against mild illness for those ages 50 to 64 and 42% protection for people ages 65 and older, according to the study. They had very little protection against mild illness due to waning immunity observed with the old vaccines, Link-Gelles said. It's too early to draw conclusions about how the protection from the omicron boosters holds up over time, she said.

>> Read more trending newsThe Vaccine Safety Datalink system flagged Pfizer/BioNTech’s updated COVID-19 bivalent shot, saying it had seen an increase in the risk of a type of stroke in older adults. The monitoring systems showed an uptick in the risk of an ischemic stroke in some older than 65 during the first 21 days after receiving the Pfizer bivalent shot, compared with days 22-44. An ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in arteries that carry blood to the brain. The increased risk of stroke in those over age 65 did not appear in data on Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 booster, nor in original COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC and the FDA said they found no other link to stroke in other studies of booster vaccines.

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The CDC said one of its monitoring systems detected a preliminary safety signal for stroke in people ages 65 and older who received the Pfizer omicron booster.

The agencies said the surveillance signal “is very unlikely” to represent a “true clinical risk” and said they continued to recommend the vaccine.

The CDC has identified a "safety signal" in the Bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech and is investigating whether the shot creates an increased stroke risk for people 65 and older.

Twitter owner and CEO Elon Musk waded into a discussion about COVID-19 boosters in a tweet on Wednesday, with the billionaire claiming that it “isn’t clear whether, all things considered, a second booster helps or hurts.”

Twitter owner and CEO Elon Musk waded into a discussion about COVID-19 boosters in a tweet on Wednesday, with the billionaire claiming that it "isn't clear whether, all things considered, a second booster helps or hurts." Is a second COVID-19 booster effective? But for older, more vulnerable populations, a bivalent booster may be effective at reducing severe outcomes from infection. In November, Pfizer released data showing that the bivalent booster's safety in human adults was favorable and similar to its original monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. A recent study funded by the European Research Council also supports the safety of a second Pfizer booster, and found that "the second booster was not associated with any of the 25 adverse events investigated."

The Conservative MP has been suspended after a tweet comparing Covid vaccine side effects to the Holocaust.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — Chinese health care authorities declined to include Pfizer's COVID-19 treatment drug in a national reimbursement list that would have allowed patients to get it at a cheaper price throughout the country, saying it was too expensive. A drug must be included on the reimbursement list to be covered by the national insurance scheme. Paxlovid and Azvudine are prescription drugs used to prevent mild COVID-19 cases from becoming more severe. Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla said the company was working directly with Chinese authorities who have shown “tremendous interest” in the treatment. He did not mention Paxlovid being excluded from the national reimbursement list.

Alex Berenson was the latest writer to be tapped by Elon Musk to dive into Twitter's archives, showing Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a Pfizer board member, targeting vaccine skepticism.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — China's health care authorities declined to include Pfizer's COVID-19 treatment drug in a national reimbursement list that would have allowed patients to get it at a cheaper price throughout the country, saying it was too expensive. A drug must be included on the reimbursement list to be covered by the national insurance scheme. Paxlovid will still be available for use for those patients who can afford it. Paxlovid and Azvudine are prescription drugs used to prevent mild COVID-19 cases from becoming more severe. The country is grappling with a major COVID-19 wave, as the virus has swept through major cities like Beijing and Chengdu.

China will not include Pfizer’s COVID-19 treatment drug in a national reimbursement list that would have allowed patients to get it at a cheaper price, saying it was too expensive.

The company aims to test 10,000 personalized mRNA therapies, including cancer vaccines, between September 2023 to the end of the decade.

But Chinese tourists will not have unfettered access to all countries - as some impose restrictions.

BERLIN — (AP) — Germany has dispatched a batch of the BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to China, where it will be administered to Germans who live in the country. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, said the vaccines were sent on a flight that was due to land in China on Wednesday. He said that the Chinese government formally informed Berlin in a diplomatic note that German citizens can be inoculated with the vaccine, which otherwise isn't cleared for use in China. China so far has approved only domestic vaccines, which use an older technology that has typically proven less effective at preventing the spread of the disease than the BioNTech-Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Germany has dispatched a batch of the BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to China, where it will be administered to Germans who live in the country

Robert Malone, an mRNA vaccine researcher, has returned to Twitter after being banned from the platform over its coronavirus misinformation policy.

In a press release Pfizer says its maternal shot was 69% effective in preventing severe RSV infection in infants 0-6 months.

The decision aims to better protect the littlest kids amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases around the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to sign off soon.

The FDA on Thursday approved the use of updated COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 5, three days after Pfizer-BioNTech applied for an emergency use authorization.

U.S. regulators on Thursday cleared doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than age 5. Omicron-targeted booster shots made by Moderna and rival Pfizer already were open to everyone 5 and older. --Children under 5 who already got all three Pfizer doses aren’t yet eligible for an updated booster. “Vaccines remain the best defense against the most devastating consequences of disease caused by the currently circulating omicron variant,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement. The CDC last month released the first real-world data showing that an updated booster, using either company's version, does offer added protection to adults.

U.S. regulators have cleared doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines to children younger than 5.

The FDA's decision to authorize the shots for the youngest kids comes as Covid infections and hospitalizations are increasing nationally.

Pfizer said the FDA has accepted its RSV vaccine candidate for review under an expedited process that reduces the approval process by four months.

The boosters did not trigger a robust response against BQ.1.1. People with a prior history of infection who received the booster had a stronger response

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that two new omicron subvariants that appear to be more adept at dodging immunity make up more than half of the COVID-19 cases in the United States. Read nine things to know about the new omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 below:Read: Coronavirus: New omicron subvariants account for 60% of current COVID-19 cases1. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Omicron subvariants (WFTV)5. Moderna and Pfizer say their bivalent boosters protect against BQ.1.1. (NCD)©2022 Cox Media Group

Pfizer is asking U.S. regulators to authorize its updated COVID-19 vaccine for children under age 5 — not as a booster but part of their initial shots. Children ages 6 months through 4 years already are supposed to get three extra-small doses of the original Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine — each a tenth of the amount adults receive — as their primary series. The FDA has authorized the new bivalent COVID-19 shots — versions made by Pfizer and rival Moderna — as a booster for everyone ages 5 and older. Those combination shots contain half the original vaccine and half tweaked to match the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron strains that until recently were dominant. The CDC last month released the first real-world data showing that an updated booster, using either company's version, does offer added protection to adults.

Pfizer is asking U.S. regulators to authorize its updated COVID-19 vaccine for children under age 5.

Two new omicron subvariants that appear to be more adept at dodging immunity together are making up more than half of the COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. >> Read more trending newsThe new omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are responsible for 30.9% and 31.9%, respectively, of the cases in the United States. “A model from Europe suggested that by December 1, [the variants] would be more than 50%, and they were correct,” he added. The good news is, even if you see a diminishing of our vaccines, they’re still effective against these subvariants — way more effective than the original vaccine,” Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said last week. According to the CDC, symptoms of BQ.1, BQ.1.1, and other COVID-19 variants include:Fever or chillsCoughShortness of breath or difficulty breathingFatigueMuscle or body achesHeadacheLoss of taste or smellSore throatCongestion or runny noseNausea or vomitingDiarrhea©2022 Cox Media Group

Stock indexes on Wall Street are mixed in uneven trading Thursday and bond yields are broadly lower after the government reported that a measure of inflation that’s closely watched by the Federal Reserve eased in October. Gains in technology and health care stocks outweighed a pullback in banks, energy companies and elsewhere in the market. Chipmaker Nvidia rose 1.7% and drugmaker Pfizer gained 1.6%, while Bank of America fell 2.6% and Marathon Oil dropped 1.6%. Wall Street expects the benchmark rate to reach a peak range of 5% to 5.25% by the middle of 2023. Inflation will continue to be the main focus for Wall Street, and "on that score, things seem to be coming off the boil,” she said.

The study did not look at hospitalization, but experts believe the omicron booster shots will provide strong protection against severe outcomes.

The BQ coronavirus subvariants are likely resistant to key antibody medications used by people with compromised immune systems.

Pfizer said the booster triggered more antibodies against omicron BQ.1.1, BA.4.6, BA.2.75.2 and XBB.1 in adults older than 55 compared to the original vaccines.

Pfizer said Friday that its updated COVID-19 booster may offer some protection against newly emerging omicron mutants even though it's not an exact match. Americans have been reluctant to get the updated boosters rolled out by Pfizer and rival Moderna, doses tweaked to target the BA.5 omicron strain that until recently was the most common type. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said their updated booster generated virus-fighting antibodies that can target four additional omicron subtypes, including the particularly worrisome BQ.1.1. The immune response wasn’t as strong against this alphabet soup of newer mutants as it is against the BA.5 strain. Moderna recently announced early evidence that its updated booster induced BQ.1.1-neutralizing antibodies.

The Indian Health Service says all tribal members covered by the federal agency will be offered a vaccine at every appointment, when appropriate.

A study published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine found that 1.8% of healthy infants are hospitalized with RSV before their first birthday.

A study of health records for 60,000 patients suggests the treatment might be useful in preventing long Covid, but the conclusion is far from certain.

People older than 55 who received the new Covid booster had about four times more antibodies targeting omicron BA.5 than people who received the old vaccine.

Pfizer said people 55 and older who got the omicron-targeting booster had four-fold higher antibody levels than those given an extra dose of the original vaccine. “Right now is the time for people to consider going out and get the updated” booster. Moderna's version of the updated booster is for those 6 and older. About 26.3 million Americans have gotten an updated booster since they rolled out in early September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some small studies have recently raised questions about how much advantage the updated boosters will offer rather than just getting another dose of the original vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech announced Thursday that they have begun a study to test a combination vaccine for COVID-19 and the flu. Together with our partner @pfizer, we today announced the start of a Phase 1 clinical study in the U.S. for a single dose #mRNA-based combination vaccine candidate for seasonal influenza and COVID-19. https://t.co/pRRYtJCxTI pic.twitter.com/CXgkAj3ePO — BioNTech SE (@BioNTech_Group) November 3, 2022>> Read more trending newsIn a news release, the drugmakers said they started a Phase 1 trial of an mRNA-based vaccine designed to protect against both respiratory diseases. The candidate combines Pfizer’s qIRV influenza vaccine, which is “in Phase 3 clinical development,” with the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, which was designed to protect against the omicron variant, the companies said. “Pfizer is deeply proud of our continued work to explore its potential to protect against influenza and COVID-19 in one combination vaccine, which we think could simplify immunization practices against these two respiratory pathogens, potentially leading to better vaccine uptake for both diseases.

Stocks gave up early gains and ended lower on Wall Street after an unexpectedly strong report on the job market raised concerns that the Federal Reserve will need to keep the pressure on inflation with aggressive interest rate increases. Those high rates are intended to slow the economy, and the fear is the Fed may go too far and cause a recession. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 72 points, or 0.2%, to 32,660 and the Nasdaq fell 0.8%. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.06% from 3.93% earlier in the morning. The Fed is beginning a two-day policy meeting that’s expected to result in its sixth interest rate increase of the year as the central bank fights the worst inflation in four decades.

CEO Albert Bourla said Pfizer is staring down an expected loss of up to $18 billion in revenue from 2025 through 2030 as patent protections expire.

Pfizer announced Tuesday that an experimental RSV vaccine for pregnant women protects newborns against the severe illness for at least six months after birth. At 6 months of age, there was a reduction in protection, but the Pfizer vaccine was still 69% effective against the illness, according to the company . In order to assess the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, pregnant women who participated in the study were observed through vaccination and for six months after giving birth. Any strategy that could make a significant impact to reducing that burden is greatly appreciated,” Chang said about the Pfizer RSV vaccine for pregnant women. In addition to testing the vaccine in pregnant women, Pfizer has said it intends to test its RSV vaccine in younger age groups as well as in older people, who are also at risk for severe infection.

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As parents and doctors deal with three significant illnesses — COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus or RSV — pharmaceutical company Pfizer says it may seek approval for a new vaccine to prevent RSV by the end of the year. The CDC estimates that all children would have had an RSV infection by the time they turn 2 years old. Those who were given the vaccine showed about an 80% effective rate at preventing severe RSV in the first three months of a baby’s life, CNN reported. Pfizer said the vaccine provides protection for the baby for at least six months, NBC News reported. The FDA has already cleared one hurdle earlier this year to speed up the approval process when it designated the RSV vaccine a breakthrough therapy.

NEW YORK — (AP) — Stocks are opening widely higher on Wall Street, turning around after a loss a day earlier. Several companies were rising after reporting solid earnings or outlooks, including drugmaker Pfizer and Uber, which soared after issuing a strong forecast for bookings. Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.9% Tuesday and futures for the Dow rose 0.6%. Still, the U.S. returned to growth in the most recent quarter and broadly healthy corporate earnings reports, sparked a buying spree on Wall Street in October. Pfizer shares rose 3% after it reported sales and profit that beat Wall Street targets.

With concerns rising about a possible winter surge of cases, a panel of experts has unanimously voted to add the COVID-19 shot to the list of recommended vaccines for children.

Pfizer will charge $110 to $130 for a dose of its COVID-19 vaccine once the U.S. government stops buying the shots.

The U.S. is about to offer updated COVID-19 booster shots to kids as young as 5.

Pfizer is asking the Food and Drug Administration to expand use of its updated COVID-19 booster shot to children ages 5 to 11.

Israel has started administering doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine tailored to fight the highly infectious omicron variant.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended the authorization of a tweaked booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine that includes protection against two of the latest versions of omicron, as countries look to bolster their immunization programs ahead of winter.

New COVID-19 boosters targeting today’s most common omicron strains should begin arriving within days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed updated COIVD-19 boosters.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended the authorization of two coronavirus vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Inc., tweaked to include protection against an early version of the omicron variant.

The Biden administration hopes to make getting a COVID-19 booster as routine as going in for the yearly flu shot.

California won't allow teens age 15 and up to be vaccinated against the coronavirus without their parents' consent.

U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain.

Pfizer asked U.S. regulators to approve its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron strains after the Food and Drug Administration ordered the minds behind the vaccine to tweak their shots.

Pharmaceuticals Pfizer and BioNTech say they have asked the European Medicines Agency to authorize their updated coronavirus booster vaccine that includes the most recent omicron subvariants.

COVID-19 vaccines tweaked to better match today’s omicron threat are expected to roll out in a few weeks but how much will they help.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults.

Pfizer’s says its COVID-19 vaccine was 73% effective in protecting children younger than 5 as omicron spread in the spring.

Pfizer has asked U.S. regulators to authorize its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron relatives.

Researchers are seeking thousands of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe to test the first potential vaccine against Lyme disease in 20 years.

BioNTech, which teamed with Pfizer to develop a powerful COVID-19 vaccine, has reported higher revenue and net profit in the first half of the year.

U.S. regulators say they are no longer considering authorizing second COVID-19 booster shots for all adults under 50 this summer.

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold.

Everyone in Britain who is 50 or over will be offered a fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine in the fall, lowering the age threshold from the previously announced 65.

The U.S. is getting another COVID-19 vaccine choice.

U.S. pharmacists can now prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients.

COVID-19 booster shots for the fall will be updated to fight off newer omicron types, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

U.S. regulators are telling COVID-19 vaccine makers to tweak any booster doses intended for fall so they protect against the newest omicron relatives.

U.S. health authorities are facing a critical decision: whether to offer new COVID-19 booster shots this fall that are modified to better match the latest changes of the shape-shifting coronavirus.

Pfizer says tweaking its COVID-19 vaccine to better target the omicron variant is safe and boosts protection.

Scientists estimate that nearly 20 million lives were saved worldwide by COVID-19 vaccines during their first year.

As Pfizer’s and Moderna’s lower-dose COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 are rolled out across the U.S., Lakeland-based supermarket chain Publix confirmed this week that it is not administering the shots to that age group “at this time,” offering little explanation.

An Orlando pediatrician is encouraging parents to get their young children vaccinated against COVID-19 after the U.S. opened the shots to young children on Saturday.

U.S. health officials have opened COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers — the last group without the shots.

U.S. regulators have authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers.

The first COVID-19 shots for infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the U.S. have moved a step closer.

A government advisory panel has endorsed a second brand of COVID-19 vaccine for school-age children and teens.

A review by federal health officials says that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine appears safe and effective for children under 5, the only group not currently eligible for vaccination.

Next week brings a marathon of hearings as the U.S. decides whether to open COVID-19 vaccinations to kids under 5.

White House officials say orders have been coming in for COVID-19 vaccine doses for small children.

A more traditional kind of COVID-19 vaccine is a step closer to becoming the fourth option for U.S. adults.

The Biden administration is planning to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 this month, if federal regulators authorize them, officials said.

The Biden administration says children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group as expected.

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

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

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.

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