Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
EU, UK Fret Over AstraZeneca Vaccine Issues; CureVac Version Makes Progress
The New York Times: AstraZeneca Vaccine Faces New Setbacks in U.K. and European Union
Britain said on Wednesday that it would curb the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in adults under 30 because of the risk of rare blood clots, a blow to the efforts of scores of countries reliant on the vaccine to stamp out the coronavirus pandemic amid a global surge in cases. Adding to the unease, the European Medicines Agency outlined a “possible link” between the vaccine and rare clots, even as it said that Covid-19 remained the far greater threat, leaving decisions about how to use the vaccine in the hands of the 27 member states of the European Union. (Mueller, 4/7)
Axios: The World Is Watching The FDA's AstraZeneca Coronavirus Vaccine Decision
AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine took yet another public relations hit yesterday, when the European Medicines Agency announced that the shot has a "possible" link to rare blood clots, and they should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the vaccine. Even before the link was announced, the U.S. didn't need the AstraZeneca vaccine, based on its existing supply of other shots. But what the Food and Drug Administration decides to do about the vaccine — if the company seeks U.S. authorization — will likely have global ramifications. (Owens, 4/8)
CNBC: Covid Vaccine Maker CureVac Hopes Shot Will Get EU Approval In June
Coronavirus vaccine maker CureVac has said it hopes its Covid shot will receive European approval in the second quarter. CureVac’s CEO Franz-Werner Haas told CNBC Thursday that the vaccine maker was close to finalizing the recruitment for the vaccine’s Phase 3 clinical trial. Approval could come not long after, he said, given the urgent need for additional effective coronavirus vaccines and the expedited regulatory approval process. (Ellyatt, 4/8)
Axios: New Zealand Suspends All Travel From India Over COVID Cases At Border
New Zealand has announced a temporary entry ban on all travelers from India, including NZ citizens, after a spike in COVID-19 cases at the border from the South Asian nation — which set another pandemic record on Thursday. NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced at a briefing the 17-day suspension after 17 of the 23 new coronavirus infections confirmed Thursday in returned travelers in managed hotel quarantine were from India. (Falconer, 4/8)
In news about polio —
AP: Afghans Work To Stem Polio Rise Amid Violence, Pandemic
Afghanistan is trying to inoculate millions of children against polio after pandemic lockdowns stalled the effort to eradicate the crippling disease. But the recent killing of three vaccinators points to the dangers facing the campaign as turmoil grows in the country. The three women were gunned down in two separate attacks on March 30 as they carried out door-to-door vaccinations in the eastern city of Jalalabad. (Faiez, 4/8)
