Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Some Need 3 Doses Of Sinopharm Covid Vaccine, UAE Tests Show
The Washington Post: Third Dose Of Sinopharm Vaccine Needed For Some In UAE
A "very small number" of people in the United Arab Emirates are being invited to receive a third shot of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine after antibody tests indicated they did not have a sufficient immune response following two doses of the Chinese-made vaccine, its distributor confirmed Sunday. Walid Zaher, the chief researcher for G42 Healthcare, which distributes the Sinopharm vaccine in the UAE, told Dubai Eye radio that a study was underway to give some people third doses. (Schemm, 3/21)
Axios: Half Of U.K. Adults Have Had First Coronavirus Vaccine Shot
Half of adults across the United Kingdom, roughly 26.8 million people, have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of Saturday, according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Minister Matt Hancock. The country administered a record 711,100 doses on Friday and is fourth in the world for total population vaccinated, coming just behind Israel, United Arab Emirates and Chile, according to Reuters. (Knutson, 3/20)
The New York Times: Rich Countries Signed Away A Chance To Vaccinate The World
In the coming days, a patent will finally be issued on a five-year-old invention, a feat of molecular engineering that is at the heart of at least five major Covid-19 vaccines. And the United States government will control that patent. The new patent presents an opportunity — and some argue the last best chance — to exact leverage over the drug companies producing the vaccines and pressure them to expand access to less affluent countries. The question is whether the government will do anything at all. (Gebrekidan and Apuzzo, 3/21)
CNBC: Third Covid Wave Hits Europe, France, Germany Eye More Lockdowns
More than a year after the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic, Europe is continuing to struggle with the virus amid a third wave of infections and ramping up of lockdown measures. At the same time, the bloc’s vaccination rollout remains sluggish, hit by manufacturing issues and supply snags, to the extent that European Union leaders are meeting this week to discuss — once again — the introduction of possible vaccine export bans. (Ellyatt, 3/22)
Axios: Protests Erupt Across Europe Over COVID-19 Restrictions
Several European cities saw anti-lockdown protests on Saturday, with some leading to clashes between demonstrators and police. As case numbers and variants in Europe surge, the vaccine rollout has been sluggish and countries have gone back into lockdown. The protests are part of the rising frustration with COVID-19 restrictions on the continent. (Saric, 3/21)
In other global news —
Reuters: Pandemic Hits Efforts To Stop Mexico's 'Silent' Killer
Chagas, spread mostly via the faeces of blood-sucking bugs, is one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that affect 1.7 billion people around the world, mostly in poor countries, according to the World Health Organization. Chagas patients are more likely to be cured if they are treated soon after infection, making early detection key. But the coronavirus pandemic slowed Mexico’s already limited testing and the number of diagnoses more than halved in 2020 compared to 2019 as COVID-19 overwhelmed the health system. (Murray, 3/22)
