Forbes - End Of The Week Vaccine News

Plus: How the G-7 meeting could help stop Covid-19

The week ends with two new pieces of good vaccine news. First, Johnson & Johnson has applied for emergency use authorization from the World Health Organization. If approved, it could make the vaccine much more accessible to low and middle-income countries around the world. Stay tuned next week, as the FDA decides whether or not to authorize the vaccine in the U.S. Secondly, a new study finds that a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 85% effective at preventing Covid-19 - for at least up to 28 days. However, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says there still isn’t enough evidence to postpone the second shot. 

Business

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said today that President Biden will likely sign a new stimulus bill before unemployment benefits run out in mid-March. 

A group of Democratic Attorneys General are urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt per student. 

Walgreens announced that it will be expanding Covid-19 vaccines to pharmacies in 23 states. 

Science & Health

Should you get a Covid-19 vaccine while pregnant? Experts say yes. 

Variants could cause a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in the U.S.-- here’s how we can fight back. 

What Else We Are Reading

• The 27-Year-Old Who Became a Covid-19 Data Superstar (Bloomberg)

• UN says 130 countries have not received a single Covid vaccine dose (The Guardian)

• Pfizer vaccine doesn’t need ultra-cold storage after all, company says (Ars Technica)