Health News Roundup: First Pfizer vaccines arrive in Chile, medics to be inoculated first; U.S. states enlist medical, nursing students to give out COVID-19 vaccine and more

As of Wednesday morning, only 1 million shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had been given, about one-third of the first shipment sent last week. Tennessee averaged nearly 128 new infections per 100,000 people over the last week, the highest of any U.S. state, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

First Pfizer vaccines arrive in Chile, medics to be inoculated first

The first 10,000 doses of a 10-million order of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine reached Chile on Thursday with inoculations of health workers in the hardest hit sectors to begin immediately. Chile is the first South American country to begin vaccinating against COVID. Mexico received 3,000 doses of the vaccine on Wednesday, Costa Rica was to receive Pfizer doses on Thursday while Argentina was expecting the first doses of Russia's Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine on the same day.

U.S. states enlist medical, nursing students to give out COVID-19 vaccine

U.S. states, facing a backlog in administering coronavirus vaccines, are asking medical and nursing students, and even firefighters, to help give the shots and free up healthcare workers battling a raging pandemic at overcrowded hospitals. At least seven state health departments are seeking volunteers for their vaccination sites, some partnering with local universities or nursing schools to offer incentives such as tuition discounts and hands-on training. Others are teaching first responders to administer shots.

English COVID-19 infections rise again, 1-in-85 people infected - survey

The prevalence of COVID-19 cases in England jumped again in the week to Dec. 18, with around 645,800 people, or 1-in-85, estimated to be infected, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Thursday. "The percentage of people testing positive has continued to increase sharply in London, the East of England, and the South East; London now has the highest percentage of people testing positive," the ONS said.

In Brazil, vaccine trial volunteers hope to save lives, not win fame

From doctors weary of seeing patients die to relatives who lost their loved ones, thousands of Brazilians have volunteered for COVID vaccine trials in one of the world's worst-affected countries in the hope their quiet heroism will save lives. Latin America's largest country has become a major testing ground for vaccines because of the scale of its outbreak, which has seen more than 7.3 million people infected and over 180,000 killed by the coronavirus.

Millions of U.S. vaccine doses sit on ice, putting 2020 goal in doubt

Millions of COVID-19 vaccines are sitting unused in U.S. hospitals and elsewhere a week into the massive inoculation campaign, putting the government's target for 20 million vaccinations this month in doubt. As of Wednesday morning, only 1 million shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had been given, about one-third of the first shipment sent last week. Over 9.5 million doses of vaccines, including Moderna's, have now been sent to states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Special Report-How a British COVID-19 vaccine went from pole position to troubled start

On June 5, researchers at the University of Oxford quietly made a change to a late-stage clinical trial of their COVID-19 vaccine. In an amendment noted in a document marked CONFIDENTIAL, they said they were adding a new group of participants. The adjustment might seem minor in a large-scale study. But it masked a mistake that would have potentially far-reaching consequences: Many of the United Kingdom trial subjects had inadvertently been given only about a half dose of the vaccine.

Serbia begins COVID-19 vaccination drive, with PM first in line

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic received Serbia's first COVID-19 vaccine shot on Thursday, kicking off a mass inoculation drive with doses developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Serbia is the third country in Europe to start mass COVID-19 inoculations after Britain and Switzerland.

Denmark finds 33 cases of new variant of coronavirus

Denmark has identified 33 infections with the new variant of the coronavirus that has been spreading rapidly in parts of Britain, according to authorities. The State Serum Institute (SSI), Denmark's infectious disease authority, said in a report published on Wednesday that the cases had been found in COVID-19 tests carried out between Nov. 14 and Dec. 14.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Singapore confirms first case of new coronavirus variant One million Americans vaccinated for COVID; Tennessee new epicenter

Tennessee emerged alongside California on Wednesday as an epicenter of the latest COVID-19 surge even while more than 1 million Americans have been vaccinated as U.S. political leaders sought to guard against a highly contagious coronavirus variant sweeping across Britain. Tennessee averaged nearly 128 new infections per 100,000 people over the last week, the highest of any U.S. state, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. California stood second at 111 new cases per 100,000 residents.