Coronavirus Breaking News

Pfizer and BioNTech announced on January 22, 2021, they would provide 40 million COVID-19 vaccines to COVAX at a not-for-profit price. The Comirnaty vaccine doses are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2021, subject to the negotiation and execution of supply agreements under the COVAX Facility structure.

As part of a broader strategy to support low and middle-income countries beyond the agreement with COVAX, Pfizer and BioNTech are committed to partnering with other global health stakeholders to provide expertise and resources to strengthen healthcare systems where greater support may be needed to deploy COVID-19 vaccines.

"At Pfizer, we believe that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for. That is why from the very beginning of our vaccine development program, Pfizer and BioNTech have been firmly committed to working toward equitable and affordable access of COVID-19 vaccines for people around the world," said Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla in a press statement.

"We share the mission of COVAX and are proud to work together so that developing countries have the same access as the rest of the world, which will bring us another step closer to ending this global pandemic and proving that science will win for everyone, everywhere."

The Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 Vaccine has not been approved or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration but has been authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization to prevent COVID-19 for use in individuals 16 years of age and older.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) announced on January 22, 2021, new guidance for COVID-19 vaccinations in people with cancer. The nonprofit alliance of leading cancer centers created an NCCN COVID-19 Vaccine Committee that assists cancer care providers in making informed decisions on protecting their patients from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The NCCN committee's preliminary recommendations state that all people currently in active cancer treatment should get a COVID-19 vaccine, with some advice regarding immunosuppression and timing. Prioritize patients include those with active cancer on treatment (including hematopoietic and cellular therapy), those planned to start treatment, and those immediately (<6 months) posttreatment, except those receiving only hormonal therapy.

Furthermore, 'there are important gaps in knowledge on vaccine immunogenicity in specific patients with cancer and therapies.'

'The NCCN may learn that specific therapies limit vaccine efficacy and warrant vaccine delay. The durability of vaccine protection is being investigated in the general population and is expected to be attenuated in immunocompromised patients with cancer.'

"The medical community is rising to one of the biggest challenges we have ever faced," stated Robert W. Carlson, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, NCCN, in a press release. "The COVID-19 vaccines exemplify the heights of scientific achievement. Now we have to distribute them quickly, equitably, safely and, efficiently, using clearly defined and transparent principles."

The full document can be found at NCCN.org/covid-19, along with other vital information about the impact of COVID-19 on cancer care, says the NCCN.

Previously, the American Cancer Society (ACS) stated: 'the initial studies testing the COVID-19 vaccines did not include people getting treatment with drugs that suppress the immune system, like chemotherapy, or people who have weakened immune systems for other reasons. This is because the studies needed to see first if the vaccines work in people with healthy immune systems.'

'The situation for every person who has (or has had) cancer is different, so it is best to discuss the risks and benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine with your cancer doctor. They can advise you about if and when you should receive it,' concluded the ACS.

The JAMA Ophthalmol published an original Investigation on January 21, 2021, which found the presence of viral genomic and subgenomic RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in the human cornea.

In this case series study carried out in a tertiary care facility, SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA was detected in the cornea of 6 of 11 eyes (55%) of patients with viremic coronavirus disease 2019; subgenomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present in 4 of these 6 eyes (67%).

The German study authors noted that current guidelines recommend avoiding transplant of corneas from donors who either had COVID-19 at the time of death or who had been recently exposed to the virus because the infectivity of contaminated tissue posed to potential recipients is unknown.

However, the risk of COVID-19 infection via corneal transplant is low even in donors with SARS-CoV-2 viremia, but further research is necessary to assess the rate of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via corneal transplant.

Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc. announced that the first participant had been dosed in the Phase 1/2 study of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate (mRNA-1273) in Japan, led by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. TAK-919 is Takeda’s development code for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

This placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 study will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of two vaccinations of mRNA-1273 given 28 days apart. Takeda intends to enroll 200 participants aged 20 years and above in Japan. Each participant will be assigned to receive a placebo or a 100 μg dose at both vaccinations. Participants will be followed through 12 months after the second vaccination.

“We are pleased that this Phase 1/2 study of our COVID-19 vaccine in healthy adults in Japan has begun. This is the first clinical trial of a Moderna product in Japan, and we thank Takeda for partnering with us to potentially protect the Japanese population from COVID-19 with a vaccine,” said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, in a press release.

Takeda and Moderna previously announced that Takeda would import and distribute 50 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate starting in the first half of 2021, pending licensure in Japan.

On December 18, 2020, the U.S. FDA issued an emergency use authorization that enables the experimental Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to be administered in the USA.

The Government of India announced it had grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and Seychelles and will begin distributing the CoviShield vaccines on January 20, 2021. CoviShield is India's Serum Institute version of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine.

India had earlier supplied hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir, paracetamol tablets, diagnostic kits, ventilators, masks, gloves, and other medical supplies to many countries during the COVID19 pandemic.

Before delivering CoviShield vaccines, a training program covering administrative and operational aspects was conducted for immunization managers, cold chain officers, communication officers, and data managers of the recipient countries, both at national and provincial levels.

'In an ongoing effort, India will continue to supply countries all over the world with vaccines. This will be calibrated against domestic requirements and international demand and obligations, including under GAVI’s Covax facility to developing countries,' concluded this press statement issued from New Delhi on January 19, 2021.

Pfizer and BioNTech announced 'they had developed a plan that will allow the scale-up of manufacturing capacities in Europe and deliver significantly more Comiranty vaccine (BNT162b2) doses in the second quarter 2021. To accomplish this plan, certain modifications of production processes are required now, stated a BioNTech press release issued on January 15, 2021.

The companies continue stating: 'As a result, our facility in Puurs, Belgium, will temporarily reduce the number of doses delivered in the upcoming week.'

'We will be back to the original schedule of deliveries to the European Union beginning the week of January 25, 2021, with increased delivery beginning the week of February 15, resulting in our ability to deliver the fully committed quantity of vaccine doses in the first quarter and significantly more in the second quarter of 2021.

Pfizer and BioNTech stated they 'are working relentlessly to support the further roll-out of the vaccination campaigns worldwide by not only expanding their own manufacturing capacities but also by adding further suppliers as well as contract manufacturers to increase total manufacturing capacity.'

Texas-based American Airlines announced on January 14, 2021, it is the first U.S. airline to introduce an easy way to negative COVID-19 test results and other completed documents required for international travel. American’s mobile health passport VeriFLY app helps flyers verify their travel requirements.

American’s customers have already use VeriFLY when visiting several countries, including Jamaica, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

VeriFLY was developed and is managed by the biometric authentication and identity assurance solutions provider, Daon. According to Daon, VeriFLY offers travelers a secure and simple way to confirm their destination’s COVID-19 requirements. After creating a secure profile on the VeriFLY app, Daon verifies that the customer’s data matches a country’s requirements and displays a simple pass or fail message.

Daon says this simple message streamlines the check-in and document verification process at the airport before departure and issues reminders when their travel window is coming to a close or once their credential has expired.

This requirement becomes mandatory for anyone arriving in the USA beginning on January 26, 2021. The U.S. CDC issued this Order on January 15th.