Health News Roundup: Massive US vaccine campaign; COVID-19 herd immunity in Spain and more

In the health sector today, the United States started shipping COVID-19 vaccines across the country to stop a surging pandemic while South Korea ordered school closures. Watch the video below for the top health news stories of December 14 from all across the world.

Devdiscourse brings you the top health news stories of the day from all across the world.

Historic U.S. vaccine campaign begins with first shipments 'delivering hope' to millions

The first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine left on trucks and planes early on Sunday, kicking off a historic effort to stop a surging pandemic that is claiming more than 2,400 lives a day in the United States. Mask-wearing workers at a Pfizer Inc factory in Michigan began packing the first shipments of the vaccine developed with German partner BioNTech SE in dry ice shortly after 6:30 a.m. ET (1130 GMT) on Sunday.

Spain could develop coronavirus herd immunity by end of summer 2021, minister says

Spain should achieve herd immunity from COVID-19 by the end of summer 2021 if enough people are vaccinated by then, the health minister said in an interview published on Sunday. Salvador Illa said a vaccination program will start in January and by the end of the summer more than two-thirds of the population of 47 million should be vaccinated.

Dutch weigh stricter lockdown as COVID-19 cases jump

The Dutch government is set to decide on stricter measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands on Monday, as the infection rate has climbed back to the peak levels reached at the end of October. New coronavirus infections in the country jumped by almost 10,000 in the 24 hours through Sunday morning, data released by national health authorities showed, the biggest rise in more than six weeks.

South Korea orders schools to shut as COVID-19 cases spike

South Korea ordered schools to close from Tuesday in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas as it battles its worst outbreak of novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, surpassing the previous peak in February. Schools in the capital region would move classes online until the end of the month, in the latest ratcheting up of social distancing measures which so far have failed to reverse the spike in infections.

Australian state says work from home is over, but employees still shun office

A work from home order to combat coronavirus in Australia's most populous state ended on Monday, a milestone for a country with very low COVID-19 numbers, but many companies plan to keep flexible work arrangements into 2021. New South Wales (NSW) state, home to the country's biggest city Sydney, said it was going ahead with a plan to lift the public health order that has been in place most of the year as it reported no new local coronavirus infections for a 10th straight day.