Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
What's Better Than A Covid Shot? How About One That Also Covers The Flu
Axios: Moderna Developing Combination COVID-19, Flu Booster Shot
Moderna announced Thursday that it is in the process of developing a new vaccine that combines a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine with a seasonal flu vaccine. "We believe this is just the beginning of a new age of information-based medicines," CEO Stéphane Bancel said in the press release, which also gave a slew of updates on projects the company is pursuing. (Saric, 9/9)
Reuters: BioNTech To Seek Approval Soon For Vaccine For 5-11 Year Olds
BioNTech is set to request approval across the globe for use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children as young as five over the next few weeks and preparations for a launch are well on track, two of the biotech firm's top executives told Der Spiegel. "Already over the next few weeks we will file the results of our trial in five to 11 year-olds with regulators across the world and will request approval of the vaccine in this age group, also here in Europe," Chief Medical Officer Oezlem Tuereci told the weekly magazine. (9/10)
Axios: Latinos Have Higher Vaccination Rates In Big Cities
The number of Latinos getting vaccinated against the coronavirus in some of the most populated cities in the U.S. is slowly increasing. Latinos have surpassed whites in the percentage of fully vaccinated adults in New York City. They represent 29.1% of the city's population and non-hispanic whites are 32.1%. (Gonzalez, 9/9)
Stat: Any Qualms About Getting A Covid Vaccine Booster? STAT Readers Respond
Covid-19 vaccine boosters continue to stir controversy as most of the world seeks a first dose, not to mention the intense debate over the scientific evidence for their need and timing. Meanwhile, individuals are also grappling with ethical questions. We asked STAT readers if they had qualms about getting an extra dose before others had their first, and whether they thought their individual decisions mattered. (Cooney, 9/10)
