A US FDA review panel has given a lukewarm reception to molnupiravir, while Inovio is assessing its vaccine candidates against the new omicron variant, J&J nears a South African vaccine deal with Aspen, and South Korea brings in new COVID-19 measures. Meanwhile, Serum exports Novavax vaccine, Bharat looks at Covaxin in Omicron and Ocugen's Covaxin trial put on hold. 

In expanding authorization of booster doses for both mRNA vaccines, the agency updated Moderna’s fact sheet to state the vaccine appears to pose a higher risk of myocarditis/pericarditis in males under age 40 years after the second dose, although data are ‘not yet dispositive.’

Operation Warp Speed’s seal was a combination of ’70s design, au courant clip art, and 18^th Century militarism, but just like the oddly assembled organization that it represented, the thing worked.

While news of a potentially highly transmissible new variant is causing alarm, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are already pursuing a multi-pronged response to B.1.1.529.