Health

Moderna CEO says working on omicron-specific vaccine: Interview

Moderna is working on an omicron-specific vaccine that should be in clinics soon, the head of drug making company said in an interview with CNBC.
Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel also said the Moderna can supply 2-3 billion doses of the boosters this year.

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Moderna last month said that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine appeared to be protective against the fast-spreading omicron variant in laboratory testing and that the current version of the vaccine would continue to be Moderna’s “first line of defense against omicron.”

The vaccine maker had said the decision to focus on the current vaccine, mRNA-1273, was driven in part by how quickly the recently discovered variant was spreading. The company had previously said it was planning to develop a vaccine to protect against omicron and hoped to advance into clinical trials early this year.

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Health

Europe: Report highlights direct link between pandemic and childhood obesity

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased obesity in school-aged children in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) office for the region said in a new report issued on Wednesday, sounding the alarm for action.

Health

‘Just in case’ use of antibiotics was rife during COVID-19, says UN health agency

Antibiotics saw “extensive overuse” globally among hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the pandemic without improving clinical outcomes, while also potentially exacerbating the already serious and growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Health

Teen alcohol and nicotine use in Europe is up, WHO urges preventive measures

Substance use is on the rise among teenagers in Europe, Central Asia and Canada and girls now match or even exceed boys when it comes to smoking and drinking, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a new report on Thursday.