New mutations, or variants, of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 are continuing to be discovered. Health officials in Florida cited a new mutation of the Brazilian strain (P.1) that they are calling P2 or P.1.1.
Swiss drugmaker Roche predicted on April 21 that demand for the company’s drugs would accelerate for the remainder of 2021, after first-quarter sales of Covid-19 tests offset a pandemic-influenced slump in its main pharmaceuticals business.
CVS Health Corp. said on April 19 it will offer three over-the-counter Covid-19 tests at drugstores as well as online, expanding access to home testing in the United States.
Abbott received U.S. Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for over-the-counter, non-prescription, asymptomatic use of the company’s BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Self Test for detection of COVID-19 infection.
Along with inducing antibodies for immediate defense, mRNA vaccines against Covid-19 also stimulate the lymph nodes to generate immune cells that provide protection over the long term, a new study confirms.
French researchers are using tiny antibody particles extracted from the family of animals that includes camels and llamas to produce a test they say can detect if patients have Covid-19 faster and more accurately than existing methods.
Deaths from Covid-19 in the United States fell for a third straight week during the week ended Feb. 21, as cases and hospitalizations showed steep drops.
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE started an international study with 4,000 volunteers to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of their COVID-19 vaccine in healthy pregnant women.
The United States reported a 23% drop in new cases of Covid-19 and a 16% fall in the number of people hospitalized with the virus for the week ended Feb. 14, with both figures declining for a fifth week in a row.
A U.S. official told a World Health Organization meeting that Washington would participate in a program to boost Covid-19 testing, diagnostics and vaccines as the country joins global efforts to respond to the pandemic.
