Biden to use DPA to boost production of COVID-19 tests, gloves, The Biden administration will use wartime powers to significantly increase the supply of rapid at-home and point-of-care COVID-19 tests, a move some experts say could go a long way in slowing the Jessie Hellmann TheHill

The Biden administration will use wartime powers to significantly increase the supply of rapid at-home and point-of-care COVID-19 tests, a move some experts say could go a long way in slowing the spread of the virus.

The US government is expected to begin shipping Covid-19 directly to pharmacies next week, with one million doses of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine being allocated for the initial rollout.

The Biden administration announced this week that the vaccine rollout, called the federal retail pharmacy program, will launch on Feb. 11. The nation's pharmacies have the capacity to administer 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine in 30 days, but will need enough doses to do so, according the NACDS.

AstraZeneca vaccine works against UK coronavirus variant: study The AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine protects against a more transmissible variant of the virus first identified in the United Kingdom, according to research published Friday. Peter Sullivan TheHill

The AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine protects against a more transmissible variant of the virus first identified in the United Kingdom, according to research published Friday.

U.S. Coronavirus Cases Are Down but Eclipse Spring and Summer Peaks New cases have fallen almost 50 percent since the highest peak, on Jan. 8. Still, the numbers are far higher than at any point before Oct. 1. nytimes

The worst of the current wave of coronavirus infections seems to be behind us, with the seven-day rolling average of new cases trending down in almost every part of the country. Nationally, that average peaked on Jan. 8 at nearly 260,000 new cases; the figure for Feb. 3, 136,442, amounts to a 47 percent drop from that peak.

Countdown to 'catastrophe:' Inside Europe's fight for COVID shots In a meeting last week in the Europa building in Brussels, home of the European Union's political leadership, diplomats for the 27 member states were desperate. Francesco Guarascio, John Chalmers U.S.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - In a meeting last week in the Europa building in Brussels, home of the European Union’s political leadership, diplomats for the 27 member states were desperate.

UK backs CureVac effort to make vaccine for COVID variants LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government announced Friday that it plans to work with a German biopharmaceutical company to develop vaccines targeting emerging variants of COVID-19 as public health... AP NEWS

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government announced Friday that it plans to work with a German biopharmaceutical company to develop vaccines targeting emerging variants of COVID-19 as public health officials call for new tools to keep the virus in check as it mutates.

Biden health team hatches new vaccine strategy as variant threat builds The agency's acting director, Janet Woodcock, said in a statement Thursday that the agency would release updates soon. POLITICO

The Food and Drug Administration is preparing to release new standards for Covid-19 vaccine booster shots, tests and drugs in the coming weeks — all aimed at preparing the country to beat back fast-spreading virus variants that are less susceptible to existing shots.

J&J applies for emergency authorization; FDA expected to greenlight in coming weeks If it is authorized, the Covid-19 would be U.S.'s third. NBC News

Johnson & Johnson submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration Thursday for an emergency use authorization for its experimental Covid-19 vaccine.