FDA Clears Pfizer Shot for Teens; U.S. Cases Slow: Virus Update
Bloomberg 5 days ago
(Bloomberg)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12 to 15. The number of new cases in U.S. rose last week at the slowest pace since the pandemic began, as more Americans are vaccinated and the nation recovers from a winter spike fueled by holiday travel.
India’s capital of New Delhi extended its lockdown for another week as it battled a wave of infections and warned about a potentially deadly fungal infection in Covid-19 patients. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization sees the highly contagious variant spreading in India as a global concern.
The number of new cases in the US rose last week at the slowest pace since the pandemic began, as more Americans are vaccinated and the nation recovers from a winter spike fuelled by holiday travel. The total number of new infections was the lowest since September.
In New York, free subway and train rides are being offered to those who get shots at city mass-transit terminals.
In Europe, the UK lowered its alert level and confirmed plans to allow indoor mixing from May 17, while the Czech Republic opened all shops, museums and galleries. BioNTech raised its Covid-19 vaccine sales estimate for 2021 to €12.4-billion as countries ramp up their inoculation campaigns. Earlier, the company selected Singapore as its Southeast Asia headquarters.
Deaths from Covid-19 in India may double from current levels, new research suggests. Meanwhile, the country was criticized for a “lack of leadership” as its prime minister resists pressure to lock down. Indian cricket regulators suspended the Premier League after players tested positive.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country is on course to scrap lockdown rules, and Denmark will ease curbs this week. Singapore is cracking down in response to a flareup linked to the variant first identified in India, a setback for one of the most successful virus-containment regimes.