Reuters Health News Summary

The government faced criticism for imposing an effective lockdown on more than 16 million people just days before Christmas, but Matt Hancock said Saturday's decision was taken speedily after new evidence showed the new strain was responsible for spiralling COVID-19 cases.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Facebook removes anti-vaccine 'fake news' in Israel, government says

Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to drum up support for the programme, the Justice Ministry said on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday became the first person to be vaccinated in Israel. Opinion polls show some two-thirds of the public want to follow suit. Sydney isolated from rest of Australia as COVID outbreak grows

Sydney was isolated from the rest of Australia on Sunday after all of the country's states and territories imposed travel restrictions on its residents as a coronavirus cluster in the city grew to around 70. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) sent a stern 'do not come to us' message to Sydney, the country's most populous city of more than five million people, warning its residents they would be quarantined for 14 days if they arrived.. Moderna says CDC panel recommends its COVID-19 vaccine for adults

Moderna Inc said on Saturday the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend the use of the company's COVID-19 vaccine on people 18 years of age and older. The panel voted 11-0 in favor of the vaccine, the company said in a press release. To fight new COVID strain, UK PM Johnson reverses Christmas plans for millions

Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed an effective lockdown on over 16 million people in England and reversed plans to ease curbs over Christmas, saying Britain was dealing with a new coronavirus strain up to 70% more transmissible than the original. Although Johnson and his scientific advisors believe vaccines will still be effective, and the new strain is not more deadly or more serious in terms of the illness caused, he said on Saturday the government had to take urgent action. Postcards from Wuhan: One year on, residents share lockdown memories, hopes for 2021

In China's Wuhan, the original epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, the city's residents are returning to normal life, even as they continue to grapple with memories of the early outbreak, which struck fear in the city. It's been almost seven months since the city recorded a locally transmitted case of the disease due to a strict city-wide lockdown and a mass testing event of almost all the city's 11 million residents. Thailand to test over 10,000 people after record COVID-19 surge

Thailand plans to test more than 10,000 people after a record daily surge in coronavirus cases to over 500, most of which were among migrant workers linked to a shrimp market near the capital, an official said on Sunday. By Wednesday the authorities aim to conduct 10,300 tests in the southwest province of Samut Sakhon, where the outbreak appeared, and such nearby provinces as Samut Songkhram and Nakhon Pathom, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for Thailand's COVID-19 taskforce, told a news conference. Global COVID-19 cases surpass 75 million

Global coronavirus infections surpassed the 75 million mark on Saturday, according to a Reuters tally, as several nations around the world begin vaccinating against the virus. Britain this month became the first Western country to start immunizing with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNtech, followed by the United States which has now also approved a vaccine from Moderna. Moderna COVID-19 shots leave warehouses, widening U.S. immunization push

Shipments of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine began leaving warehouses early on Sunday, heading for healthcare facilities around the United States in a push to distribute the second approved coronavirus vaccine. A statement from distributor McKesson Corp just after 0600 EST (1100 GMT) said it had begun shipping Moderna’s COVID-19 shots and ancillary supply kits to administer the vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday. South Korea sets record COVID-19 cases as prison reports major outbreak

South Korea reported a record 1,097 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, including an outbreak in a Seoul prison that infected 188 as the country's latest wave of COVID-19 worsens. With daily infections over 1,000 for a fifth consecutive day, some medical experts and politicians criticised the government for being too loose with social distancing rules. Tougher UK coronavirus curbs may last some time, health minister suggests

London and southeast England may stay under tighter coronavirus curbs for some time, Britain's health minister suggested on Sunday, adding that dropping plans to ease restrictions for Christmas was needed to stem a fast-spreading new strain. The government faced criticism for imposing an effective lockdown on more than 16 million people just days before Christmas, but Matt Hancock said Saturday's decision was taken speedily after new evidence showed the new strain was responsible for spiralling COVID-19 cases.