The Scan

Japan is expected to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine Sunday, according to Bloomberg.

An initial analysis suggests the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could reduce viral load, the Guardian reports.

World Health Organization investigators have uncovered possible early cases of COVID-19 in central China, the Wall Street Journal reports.

NPR reports that though the Biden Administration is moving to scale up COVID-19 testing, experts say even more is needed.

The Washington Post writes that vaccinations and vigilance provide a "labyrinthine" path forward from the pandemic.

Letters from scientists and civil rights leaders seek an investigation of racial profiling complaints stemming from the Department of Justice's China Initiative, according to Science.

The World Health Organization team conducting an investigation into SARS-CoV-2 origins says bats remain its likely source, according to Reuters.

A preprint indicates that the SARS-CoV-2 variant identified in the UK is spreading rapidly in the US, the Washington Post reports.

A small study suggests fecal transplants could increase the number of cancer patients who respond to immunotherapy, according to LiveScience.

CNN reports Johnson & Johnson is seeking an emergency authorization for its SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in the US.

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing company 23andMe is undergoing a merger with the goal of becoming publicly traded.

The US Department of Agriculture research agencies that relocated to Kansas City are smaller than they used to be, NPR reports.