Covid-19

Moderna has begun a Phase 1 clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine targeting the Zaire strain responsible for the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The trial marks the first human testing of the candidate, which uses the same mRNA technology behind Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. Coverage is highlighting the company's growing pipeline and the urgent need for new Ebola countermeasures in central Africa.

Updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines, including Moderna's, are rolling out and people are booking booster appointments at pharmacies like Walgreens. The news comes as trackers report a 13th COVID wave in the US, with outbreaks in around 40 states and territories and millions of cases, prompting renewed calls to get the annual shot.

The United Nations General Assembly convened its second High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, bringing member states together to strengthen global defences against future health emergencies. The World Health Organization is highlighting the meeting as a key moment for international coordination, three years after the first such session and amid ongoing negotiations over a global pandemic agreement.

The United States and European Union have rejected a UN General Assembly resolution backing an international pandemic collaboration treaty. The move undermines efforts to create a binding global framework for coordinating responses to future health emergencies. Critics of the treaty have raised concerns over national sovereignty, while public health advocates argue global cooperation is essential to prevent a repeat of the COVID-19 crisis.