Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
If You're A Vaccinated Tourist, The UK Soon Won't Ask You To Test, Too
AP: UK To Lift Travel Test Requirements For The Vaccinated
The British government announced Monday that it is scrapping coronavirus travel testing requirements for the vaccinated, news hailed by the travel industry as a big step back to normality. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that “to show that this country is open for business, open for travelers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated.” (Lawless, 1/24)
In other global covid news —
Stat: Pfizer Faces Calls To Quickly Sell More Covid-19 Pills To Low-Income Countries
Amid concerns over access to Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, Pfizer (PFE) is being urged by a prominent advocacy group to make a recently authorized pill more widely available to poor countries and avoid the inequity problems that have so far plagued the global response to the pandemic. In a Jan. 24 letter to Pfizer chief executive officer Albert Bourla, Public Citizen argued the company is remiss for entering into supply agreements for its Paxlovid pill that “almost exclusively” cover countries based in North America and Europe while its production output is constrained. Pfizer has indicated that 120 million treatment courses will become available this year. (Silverman, 1/24)
AP: Israeli Expert Panel Advises 4th Vaccine Dose For Adults
An expert panel on Tuesday advised the Israeli government to begin offering a fourth vaccine dose to everyone over the age of 18, citing research showing it helps prevent COVID-19 infection and severe illness. The advisory committee said research shows a fourth dose provides three to five times the level of protection against serious disease and double the protection against infection compared to three doses. The Health Ministry’s director must approve the recommendation. (1/25)
The Hill: Immunity Against Variants Found In Sinovac Recipients Who Got Mixed Vaccine Booster
People who were originally fully vaccinated with the Chinese-made Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine were shown to develop a high degree of immunity after receiving booster doses of either Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In the Brazilian government-funded phase 4 study conducted by researchers from Brazil and Oxford University, patients who received an initial vaccination from Sinovac shots were found to develop significantly higher immune responses when given a booster shot from another vaccine manufacturer. (Choi, 1/24)
Stat: Sanofi Wants To Nix New Condos That Will Overlook A Toronto Vaccine Plant
In an unusual move, Sanofi (SNY) is urging the Toronto City Council to restrict development of a nearby residential property over concerns that the height of two planned towers could make it easier to spy on an expanding vaccine facility and, consequently, jeopardize Canadian national security. The issue arose after a local property developer two years ago submitted plans to erect towers that would be more than 30 stories high and a few hundred yards from an existing facility, which Sanofi plans to expand with $360 million in backing from the federal and Ontario provincial governments. The residential location has housed a small apartment building for the past few decades. (Silverman, 1/24)
In updates from the virus-free nation of Tonga —
AP: 23 Australians On Ship Delivering Aid To Tonga Have Virus
Nearly two dozen sailors on an Australian military ship going to deliver aid to Tonga have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday, raising fears they could bring COVID-19 to a Pacific nation that has so far managed to avoid any outbreaks. Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said his government was working with Tongan authorities to keep the ship at sea and make sure there is no threat to Tonga’s 105,000 residents. (1/25)
