Biden's vaccine mandate SUSPENDED as Pfizer releases new COVID-19 pill

The mandate has faced opposition from Republican State Governors across America.

A US appeals court has temporarily blocked the Biden Administration's plans for a vaccine mandate for millions of businesses.

It would require workers at private companies with over 100 employees to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly - but the court said they found "grave statutory and constitutional" issues with the rule.

If it's allowed, the mandate will be imposed in January.

Meanwhile, Pfizer has unveiled a new antiviral pill that could reduce the risk of hospitalisation & death from COVID-19 by around 90%.

On Friday, the company released preliminary results of its study of 775 adults - fewer than 1% of them needed to be taken to hospital.

None of them died, the ABC reports.

Watch our full report here.