Plus: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 08.22.22 |
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| Novavax's shot is cleared for teens, the Philippines resumes in-person school, and faults in Iran's vaccine rollout come to light. Here's what you should know: | |
Headlines Novavax's shot is approved for use in American teens (CNN) The FDA authorized Novavax's Covid vaccine for Americans ages 12 to 17 last Friday, around a month after it was approved for adults. The shot uses protein-based technology—a more traditional approach to immunization than mRNA—which has also been used for inoculations against diseases like hepatitis B and whooping cough. Though the drugmaker has said its vaccine protects against a variety of strains, including BA.4 and BA.5, it is currently working on an updated version that specifically targets Omicron and its subvariants. The Philippines is one of the last countries to reopen schools (Al Jazeera) More than two years after school went virtual, primary and secondary school students in the Philippines finally masked up and returned to in-person classes today, making it one of the last countries to fully reopen schools. The Philippines was hit hard by Covid, and officials had previously expressed concern that resuming in-person classes would cause new outbreaks. But many are also troubled by the impact that two years of virtual school have had on literacy rates and childhood development. Details about Iran's bungled vaccine rollout emerge (Washington Post) A new investigation details Iran's flawed vaccine rollout process last year. The country faced a number of obstacles procuring shots from overseas, so in June of 2021, regulators there approved a vaccine made by an Iranian company called Barkat. But at the time of its approval, it hadn't begun Phase 3 trials, and the only data on the shot that was publicly available had to do with its impact on animals. The company then failed to meet its delivery targets. In the end, most Iranians who were vaccinated in the past year received shots manufactured in China. | |
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