FACTBOX-Latest on worldwide spread of the coronavirus

* Poland cannot loosen restrictions yet and people should stay at home over Christmas and New Year, senior government ministers said. AMERICAS * The United States extended its rollout of the first authorized COVID-19 vaccine, inoculating healthcare workers with an eye toward convincing skeptical Americans to get their shots. * Warren Buffett said the United States is fighting an "economic war," and that Congress must step up quickly to help struggling small businesses that have become "collateral damage".

The British government came under intense pressure to revise its plan to relax COVID-19 restrictions for five days around Christmas, while the European Union countries could begin coronavirus inoculations as soon as this year.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS * For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread of COVID-19, open https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/ in an external browser.

* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news. EUROPE

* Sweden failed to protect elderly people during the pandemic, with the high level of community spread likely the biggest factor, as the coronavirus ravaged ill-prepared nursing homes, an initial report by an official commission said. * Anyone in Ireland who wants a COVID-19 vaccine should be able to get one by the middle of next year, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said.

* The Danish government will extend current lockdown measures to the entire country, broadcaster TV2 reported. * Poland cannot loosen restrictions yet and people should stay at home over Christmas and New Year, senior government ministers said.

AMERICAS * The United States extended its rollout of the first authorized COVID-19 vaccine, inoculating healthcare workers with an eye toward convincing skeptical Americans to get their shots.

* Warren Buffett said the United States is fighting an "economic war," and that Congress must step up quickly to help struggling small businesses that have become "collateral damage". * Canada kicked off its inoculation campaign by injecting frontline healthcare workers and elderly nursing home residents.

* Brazil's health regulator said China's authorities are not transparent in their authorization of vaccines for emergency use. ASIA-PACIFIC

* Japan's latest economic stimulus package to cushion the blow from the pandemic is likely to boost the economy most strongly next fiscal year, key ministers said. * Burials in the Indonesian capital were 61% higher in the first 10 months of 2020 than in the past five years, according to a new study that could suggest Indonesia's real coronavirus death toll is far higher than official data shows.

* Singapore is to allow a limited number of business, official and other "high economic value" travellers from around the world under a "bubble" arrangement that offers a glimpse into what visitors for this year's relocated Davos summit might expect. MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Oman's health ministry has issued a licence to import the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech against the novel coronavirus. * Lebanon is expected to sign a deal this week for supplies of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and is set to receive the first batch eight weeks after that.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine appeared set for regulatory authorization this week after U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff endorsed it as safe and effective.

* The European Union is on course to approve its first COVID-19 vaccine before Christmas after its drug regulator brought forward a deadline for review. * A World Health Organization senior official said that the agency was in talks with Pfizer to include its COVID-19 vaccine as part of an early global roll out.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * World shares steadied on Tuesday and currencies moved in tight ranges as rising COVID-19 cases and social restrictions before the Christmas shopping season offset optimism over a vaccine-driven economic recovery next year.

* The World Health Organization is looking at new financial instruments to help to fill a $28 billion funding shortfall for tools to fight COVID-19. * Lloyd's of London and insurtech firm Parsyl have launched a programme to insure the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in emerging markets.