1. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the first oral drug to treat COVID-19
The FDA has granted an emergency use permit (EUA) for Pfizer's oral anti- SARS-CoV-2 virus. The drug, called Paxlovid, will be used to treat COVID-19 at a mild to moderate level in adults and pediatric patients (aged 12 and over and weighing at least 40kg with positive results for the SARS-CoV-2 virus), and those at high risk of developing into severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
2. Oxford-AstraZeneca begins research on vaccine for Omicron variety
As Omicron strain spreads globally, Oxford University and AstraZeneca have begun research on a vaccine specifically targeting this highly dotitable SARS-CoV-2 strain.
Other major drugmakers including Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson have also announced plans to adjust vaccines to fight the new strain.
3. How to test for new COVID-19 to get results within 20 minutes
Recently, Australian researchers have proposed a new COVID-19 testing method that can give high-precision results within 20 minutes with a blood sample from the tip of a finger.
Scientists from the Burnet Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infectious Diseases and Immunology - the creators of the new test - said that this is the only POC test that can measure neutral antibodies (NAbs), correlated with the ability to protect the immune system against COVID-19.
4. New Zealand approves drugs that can prevent and treat COVID-19
This week, New Zealand approved a new COVID-19 drug called Ronapreve, which can both prevent and treat the disease. Ronapreve is approved to treat COVID-19 patients at high risk of developing into serious diseases and to prevent COVID-19 for people with poor health conditions who cannot be protected by vaccination.
However, the country's pharmaceutical regulatory agency notes that single-line antibodies cannot replace vaccination and their effectiveness on Omicron variants has not been proven.
5. Moderna's enhanced COVID-19 vaccine appears effective in fighting Omicron variants
The manufacturer of vacicne Moderna recently announced that their increased vaccine dosage appears to be effective against Omicron variants.
The company said that the 50 microgram dosage increase is likely to increase the level of neutral antibodies against Omicron by about 37 times compared to the previous level and the 100 microgram dosage increase the level of neutral antibodies to about 83 times.
