Health News Roundup: No intensive care beds for most Californians as COVID-19 surges; U.S. CDC reports 316,844 deaths from coronavirus and more

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on Dec. 20 versus its previous report a day earlier.(https://bit.ly/31Dqz4H) U.S. COVID-19 vaccination drive heads to nursing homes The U.S. government and two of the nation's largest pharmacy chains began a nationwide campaign on Monday to vaccinate nursing home residents against COVID-19, a week after the first vaccines authorized in the country went to healthcare workers.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

WHO says no need for major alarm over new coronavirus strain

The World Health Organization cautioned against major alarm over a new, highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in Britain, saying this was a normal part of a pandemic's evolution. WHO officials even put a positive light on the discovery of the new strains that prompted a slew of alarmed countries to impose travel restrictions on Britain and South Africa, saying new tools to track the virus were working.

British Airways, Delta will screen JFK-bound passengers from Britain for coronavirus

British Airways and Delta Air Lines will only allow passengers who test negative for the coronavirus to fly to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport following the emergence of a highly infectious new strain, New York's governor and the airlines said on Monday. Governor Andrew Cuomo said he had also asked Virgin Atlantic to voluntarily agree to screen passengers on flights to Kennedy airport, saying scores of countries, though not the United States, had already placed restrictions on British travelers.

EU clears Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for first inoculations

The European Union geared up to start mass vaccinations against COVID-19 just after Christmas after the shot developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech cleared regulatory hurdles on Monday. European Union countries including Germany, France, Austria and Italy have said they plan to start vaccinations from Dec. 27 as Europe tries to catch up with the United States and Britain, where inoculations began earlier this month.

Biden receives COVID-19 vaccine at Delaware hospital

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden received his first dose of the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine on Monday at a hospital in Newark, Delaware, and he urged Americans to get the vaccine when it is available.

U.S. CDC reports 316,844 deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday reported 17,790,376 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 197,616 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,584 to 316,844. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on Dec. 20 versus its previous report a day earlier.

U.S. COVID-19 vaccination drive heads to nursing homes

The U.S. government and two of the nation's largest pharmacy chains began a nationwide campaign on Monday to vaccinate nursing home residents against COVID-19, a week after the first vaccines authorized in the country went to healthcare workers. The program led by Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and CVS Health Corp is the latest effort to control a pandemic with a staggering U.S. death toll of more than 317,000, which is straining the capacity of healthcare systems in many states.

U.S. House panel subpoenas HHS, CDC leaders over COVID-19 response

The head of a U.S. House Oversight Committee panel on COVID-19 on Monday issued subpoenas to two top Trump administration health officials over alleged political interference in the handling of the nation's pandemic response. U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar and CDC Director Robert Redfield were ordered to produce related documents by Dec. 30, the head of the coronavirus subcommittee, U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, said in a statement.

No intensive care beds for most Californians as COVID-19 surges

There are no intensive care beds available in densely populated Southern California or the state's agricultural San Joaquin Valley, together home to nearly 30 million people, amid a deadly surge of COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday. UK coronavirus variant may be more able to infect children: scientists

A new variant of the coronavirus spreading rapidly in Britain carries mutations that could mean children are as susceptible to becoming infected with it as adults - unlike previous strains, scientists said on Monday. Briefing reporters on the latest findings, scientists from the government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) who are tracking the variant said it had swiftly become the dominant strain in the south of Britain, and could soon do the same across the country. Britain faces isolation as world tightens borders to keep out new coronavirus strain

Countries across the globe shut their borders to Britain on Monday due to fears about a highly infectious new coronavirus strain, causing travel chaos and raising the prospect of food shortages days before Britain is set to leave the European Union. India, Pakistan, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Jordan and Hong Kong suspended travel for Britons after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a mutated variant of the virus had been identified in the country. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman closed their borders completely.