Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla tests positive for COVID-19, with mild symptoms
Washington, Aug 15: The top executive at Pfizer, a leading producer of COVID-19 vaccines, has tested positive for the virus and says he is experiencing very mild symptoms.
Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said Monday that he started taking Pfizer's Paxlovid pill treatment and is isolating while he recovers.
Bourla has received four shots of Comirnaty, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the New York drugmaker along with BioNTech. He said in a brief statement issued by the company that he is confident of a quick recovery.
More than 128 million people in the United States have become fully vaccinated with Pfizer's two-shot vaccine since it entered the market more than a year ago and almost 61 million have received an initial booster shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Scientists say the vaccine still offers solid protection against hospitalization and serious illness. But the evolving virus has made it tougher for vaccines to prevent all forms of illness from developing.
Pfizer and another vaccine maker, Moderna, are updating their shots to provide protection against newer versions of the virus for a fall booster campaign.
Paxlovid also has shown in research to be extremely effective at warding off serious illness if it is administered shortly after symptoms start.
Comirnaty and Paxlovid are the top-selling COVID-19 vaccine and treatment on the market. Combined, they brought in nearly USD 17 billion in sales for Pfizer during the recently completed second quarter.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
