Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca have been running “dress rehearsals” by adapting their current formulations of Covid-19 vaccines to match present known SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Heading into fall, with the Covid-19 pandemic surging again and researchers tracking new variants, there is plenty of news. BioSpace takes a look, including several research studies suggesting that some people have unusually strong immunity against Covid-19.

Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech’s nasal Covid-19 vaccine candidate received regulatory approval for mid-stage to late-stage trials, the government’s ministry of science and technology said in a statement on Aug. 13.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. said on Aug. 4 the drugstore chain had administered more than 29 million Covid-19 vaccines at its stores so far, led by a surge in parts of the United States that had lagged in vaccinations.

Americans fully vaccinated against Covid-19 should go back to wearing masks in indoor public places in regions where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, U.S. health authorities said on July 27.

Tokyo Olympics organizers on July 18 reported the first Covid-19 cases among competitors residing in the athletes’ village, as its population swells ahead of the start of the pandemic-hit Games.

GSK

Sanofi SA and GlaxoSmithKline Plc received an approval from Indian authorities for a late-stage clinical trial of their protein-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate, the drugmakers said on July 8.

India postponed exams for trainee doctors and nurses on May 3, freeing them up to fight the world’s biggest surge in coronavirus infections, as the health system crumbles under the weight of new cases and hospitals run out of beds and oxygen.

India’s daily Covid-19 shots fell sharply from an all-time high reached in early April as domestic companies struggle to boost supplies and imports are limited, even as the country fights the world’s worst surge in infections. Pfizer said on May 3 the company was in discussions with the Indian government seeking an “expedited approval pathway” for its vaccine.

U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co. joined Gilead Sciences Inc. on April 27 in lending support to India as the world’s second-most populous country scrambles to address drug shortages and bring a raging new wave of Covid-19 cases under control.