Healthcare

EU to end looser state aid rules for virus-hit companies June 30

BRUSSELS, May 12 (Reuters) - Looser EU rules that have allowed EU governments to grant more than 3 trillion euros ($3.14 trillion) in state aid to thousands of virus-hit companies in the…

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UPDATED: North Korea fires 3 ballistic missiles after reporting COVID outbreak

SEOUL, May 12 (Reuters) - North Korea fired three ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea said, in the latest such move by the…

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COVID claims 1 million U.S. lives

The United States has now recorded more than 1 million COVID-19 deaths, according to a Reuters tally, crossing a once-unthinkable milestone about two years after the first cases upended everyday…

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Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

May 11 (Reuters) - Shanghai officials said on Wednesday half the city had achieved "zero-COVID" status, but uncompromising restrictions had to remain in place under a national policy which the head of…

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Europe plans to drop mandatory mask requirements for air travel next week

LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - Face masks are set to be no longer mandatory in airports and on flights in Europe, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and European Centre for…

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Test, test, test: Are all these Covid-19 checks really necessary, scientists ask?

For many people worldwide, having cotton swabs thrust up their nose or down their throat to test for COVID-19 has become a routine and familiar annoyance. But two years into the pandemic,…

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As Beijing COVID outbreak proves stubborn, mass tests becoming routine

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, May 8 (Reuters) - Millions of Beijing residents queued up for another round of COVID-19 tests on Sunday as China's capital seeks to trace and isolate every infection to contain a…

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Europe sees travel recovery as COVID restrictions ease

LONDON/DUBLIN May 6 (Reuters) - European airlines and hotel chains are seeing bookings recover to levels not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, led by demand for shorter trips, although travellers remain…

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Worldwide coronavirus roundup

May 6 (Reuters) - Residents of Beijing fretted over anti-virus restrictions curbing their movement while also worrying about the dozens of new COVID-19 cases reported daily, as China's leaders threatened action against…

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Shanghai says China’s worst COVID outbreak under “effective control”

SHANGHAI, May 6 (Reuters) - Shanghai said on Friday it has brought China's worst outbreak of COVID-19 under effective control following a month-long lockdown of nearly 25 million people, with authorities vowing…

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U.S. limits use of J&J’s COVID vaccine on blood clot risks

The U.S. health regulator said it was limiting the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine for adults due to the risk of a rare blood clotting syndrome, the latest…

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Almost three times as many died as a result of COVID than officially reported – WHO

May 5 (Reuters) - Almost three times as many people have died as a result of COVID-19 as the official data show, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO)…

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Use of masks to remain at places of work in Italy

Facemasks are set to remain obligatory at places of work in Italy for the time being, the labour ministry said after a meeting with trade unions this week at which…

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Omicron as severe as previous COVID variants, large study finds

May 5 (Reuters) - The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV2 virus is intrinsically as severe as previous variants, unlike assumptions made in previous studies that it was more transmissible but less severe,…

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U.S. CDC says travellers should still wear masks on airplanes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday recommended travellers continue to wear masks in airplanes, trains and airports despite a judge's April 18 order declaring the…

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Beijing curbs public transport as COVID in spreads in China

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, May 4 (Reuters) - The Chinese capital Beijing shut dozens of metro stations and bus routes on Wednesday in its campaign to stop the spread of COVID-19 and avoid the fate…

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Greece lifts COVID curbs for travellers ahead of key summer season

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece lifted COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday for foreign and domestic flights, its civil aviation authority said, ahead of the summer tourism season that officials hope will see…

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COVID’s new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity from past infection – study

JOHANNESBURG, May 1 (Reuters) - Two new sublineages of the Omicron coronavirus variant can dodge antibodies from earlier infection well enough to trigger a new wave, but are far less able to…

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Pfizer says COVID treatment Paxlovid fails to prevent infection of household members

Pfizer Inc said a large trial found that its COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid was not effective at preventing coronavirus infection in people living with someone infected with the virus.…

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Denmark first country to suspend COVID vaccination programme

Denmark has become the first country in the world to pause its COVID vaccination rollout after health chiefs said the pandemic has been brought under control. The Danish Health Authority…

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News roundup on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

April 29 (Reuters) - Beijing closed more businesses and residential compounds on Friday, with authorities ramping up contact tracing to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, while resentment at the month-long lockdown in Shanghai…

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‘Entry only. No exit:’ Beijing sees more COVID closures as anger grows in Shanghai

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, April 29 (Reuters) - China's capital Beijing closed more businesses and residential compounds on Friday, with authorities ramping up contact tracing to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, while resentment at the month-long…

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Italy orders mask wearing for some indoor venues until mid-June

ROME (Reuters) - Face masks will remain compulsory in Italy on public transport and in some indoor venues until June 15, the health minister announced, as one of the country’s…

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EU estimates up to 80% of population has had COVID

The European Commission said that between 60% and 80% of the EU population was estimated to have been infected with COVID-19, as the bloc enters a post-emergency phase in which mass reporting of…

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EU looks at ramping up COVID vaccinations of kids, developing antivirals

BRUSSELS, April 27 (Reuters) - European Union governments should ramp up COVID-19 immunisations of children, the European Commission said on Wednesday in presenting its strategy to move away from the…

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China’s capital in race to detect COVID cases, avoid Shanghai’s distress

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, April 27 (Reuters) - Millions of people in Beijing took their second COVID-19 tests of the week on Wednesday as the Chinese capital tried to keep an outbreak numbering in the…

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Pfizer, BioNTech seek U.S. authorization of COVID-19 booster shot for younger kids

Pfizer Inc and its partner BioNTech announced that they had submitted an application to the U.S. health regulator for the authorization of a booster dose of their COVID-19 vaccine for…

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Almost 200 cases of unexplained acute hepatitis reported in children -ECDC

Around 190 unexplained cases of severe hepatitis have been reported in children around the world, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Tuesday. The outbreak was first reported this…

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Beijing to test 20 mln for COVID in bid to avert Shanghai lockdown misery

Three-quarters of Beijing's 22 million people lined up for COVID-19 tests on Tuesday as authorities in the Chinese capital raced to stamp out a nascent outbreak and avert the debilitating city-wide…

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Beijing residents hit the stores amid lockdown fears

A mass COVID-19 testing order in Beijing's biggest district prompted residents in the Chinese capital to stock up on groceries, fearing they could be destined for a lockdown similar to that of…

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U.S. life expectancy fell by 2 yrs in 2020, sharpest drop among high-income peers

Life expectancy in the United States fell by nearly two years in 2020 to about 77 years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the sharpest drop compared to 21 other high-income countries,…

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U.S. study shows COVID-19 third leading cause of death again in 2021

COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the United States for the second year in a row in 2021, with death rates rising for most age groups, a…

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Demand for Pfizer’s COVID pills lags around the world

(Reuters) - Worldwide demand for Pfizer Inc’s oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid has been unexpectedly light due to complicated eligibility requirements, reduced testing, and potential for drug interactions, a Reuters…

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Shanghai reports 12 new COVID deaths as frustrations boil over

SHANGHAI, April 23 (Reuters) - The major financial hub of Shanghai reported 12 new COVID-19 related deaths on April 22, up from 11 the previous day, as frustrations among residents continued to…

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U.S. extends COVID vaccine requirements for non-citizens at land borders

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States government said on Thursday it was extending a requirement that non-U.S. citizens crossing land or ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders must be vaccinated…

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WHO backs Pfizer’s oral COVID therapy Paxlovid for high-risk patients

The World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed the use of Pfizer Inc's oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment in high-risk patients after an analysis of trial data by the U.N. agency showed the…

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U.S. Justice Department appeals transportation mask ruling

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department appealed a judge's ruling ending a mask mandate on public transportation and airplanes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the measure…

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Curevac, GSK’s new COVID variant vaccine effective in animal studies

FRANKFURT, April 21 (Reuters) - CureVac and GSK's second-generation mRNA vaccine candidate targeting two recent COVID-19 variants has been shown to be highly effective in preclinical studies on rodents, CureVac said. A study in…

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Moderna to file for EUA of COVID-19 shot for very young kids by April end

Moderna plans to submit an application to the U.S. health regulator for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine among kids between the ages of six months to five…

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FACTBOX-Where you still need to wear a mask in the United States

WASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - Airlines and airports, the ride-sharing company Uber and national train service Amtrak, are now lifting mask mandates that have been in place for more than a year.…

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Biden administration will appeal lifting of mask mandate, if CDC agrees

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration said it would appeal a judge's ruling ending a mask mandate on airplanes if public health officials deem it necessary to stem…

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Use of facemasks may remain for some situations in Italy after May 1

Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa said Wednesday that the obligation to wear facemasks in enclosed public places in Italy is set to be largely abolished as of May 1, although masks…

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Hopes rise in Shanghai’s battle against COVID as two districts report no new cases

SHANGHAI, April 20 (Reuters) - Shanghai reported on Wednesday no new cases of COVID-19 outside quarantined areas in two districts, raising hopes that the tide was turning in its battle against the…

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Canada to keep mask mandate

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's government said it has no plans to stop requiring masks on planes after a Florida judge struck down a U.S. version of the law. "We are taking a…

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Uber scraps mask requirement for riders, drivers as COVID cases fall

Uber Technologies has scrapped mandatory face masks for its riders and drivers in the United States, the ride-hailing company said on Tuesday, adding that riders have the option to cancel their…

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The case for testing Pfizer’s Paxlovid for treating long COVID

Reports of two patients who found relief from long COVID after taking Pfizer Inc antiviral Paxlovid, including a researcher who tested it on herself, provide intriguing evidence for clinical trials to…

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U.S. CDC lifts COVID ‘Do Not Travel’ recommendations on about 90 countries

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday it had dropped its "Do Not Travel" COVID-19 recommendations for about 90 international destinations. Last week, the CDC…

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Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 502.2 million, death toll at 6,592,734

More than 502.2 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 6,592,734 have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in…

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More Chinese cities tighten controls as Shanghai COVID cases rise

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Shanghai reported a record number of symptomatic COVID-19 cases on Saturday and other areas across China tightened controls as the country kept up its "dynamic clearance" approach that aims…

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Omicron-specific Sinopharm COVID vaccine candidates cleared for clinical trial

BEIJING, April 16 (Reuters) - Two COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by units of China National Biotec Group (CNBG) to target the Omicron variant were approved for clinical trials as boosters in Hong…

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Shanghai reports 23,000 COVID cases as economic impact bites

SHANGHAI, April 15 (Reuters) - The daily tally of COVID-19 cases in Shanghai, which is at the centre of China's epidemic, has fallen slightly, authorities said on Friday, as the city's lockdown…

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Britain approves Valneva’s easy-to-store COVID shot

April 14 (Reuters) - Britain approved on Thursday Valneva's VLS.PA COVID-19 vaccine, making it the first country to give a nod to the French firm's coronavirus shot that is easier to store and involves…

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Italy starts giving fourth Covid vaccine

Italy on Tuesday started giving out the fourth dose of the COVID vaccine to the over-80s, care home residents and over 60s who have been classed as vulnerable and fragile.…

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Queen Elizabeth says COVID left “one very tired and exhausted”

Britain's Queen Elizabeth said COVID-19 had left "one very tired and exhausted" as she talked to health workers and a former patient about her own experience of "this horrible pandemic".…

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Omicron spawns U.S. search for better kids’ masks, new standard

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) - The fast-spreading Omicron variant stoked U.S. interest in better masks for children to ward off COVID-19, and that is adding fuel to an effort that could set the…

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Shanghai COVID cases keep rising, food supply problems persist

SHANGHAI, April 10 (Reuters) - Shanghai reported nearly 25,000 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday, as residents of China's most populous city voiced complaints over food and basic supplies and concern spread…

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India to widen COVID booster effort to all adults from Sunday

BENGALURU (Reuters) - India will offer booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine to all adults from Sunday, although free third doses will be limited to frontline workers and those older than 60 who…

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