Health News Roundup: CDC reports 334,029 total deaths from coronavirus; Harris receives COVID-19 shot and more

U.S.'s COVID test requirement for UK travelers should extend to other nations -U.S. official A senior U.S. public health official on Tuesday said the coronavirus testing the United States is requiring for travelers from Britain should probably be extended to other countries as well.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Wealthy hospitals rake in U.S. disaster aid for COVID-19 costs

After collecting billions of dollars in U.S. coronavirus aid, many of the nation's wealthiest nonprofit hospitals are now tapping into disaster relief funds that critics say they don't need. The money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is going to some large health systems that have billions of dollars in cash reserves and investments, according to government records reviewed by Reuters.

Harris receives COVID-19 shot in bid to boost U.S. vaccine confidence

U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received a COVID-19 vaccination live on television on Tuesday, as the incoming Biden administration seeks to boost confidence in the inoculation even while warning it will be months before it is available to all. Senator Harris, who is Black and Asian-American, will become the second high-profile person from an ethnic minority background to receive the vaccine after Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Dec. 18.

Factbox-Coronavirus variants, found in UK and South Africa, travel the world

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said a variant of the coronavirus, which could be up to 70% more transmissible, is spreading rapidly in Britain. A separate variant, first found in South Africa, is also causing concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is not enough information to determine whether the new variants could undermine vaccines being rolled out internationally.

U.S. appeals court upholds Trump health care price disclosure rule

A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a White House-backed rule to require hospitals to disclose the prices they negotiate with insurers for an array of common tests and procedures. The 2-0 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is a victory for President Donald Trump's effort to make health care pricing more transparent so patients can be better informed when deciding on treatment.

No new lockdown in France for now despite spike in virus cases

France will not enforce a new lockdown for the time being to curb the spread of the coronavirus but it could soon impose an earlier curfew in eastern areas of the country, the worst-hit by infections, the health minister said on Tuesday. "We're ruling out the idea of a lockdown for now, whether it be nationally or locally", Olivier Veran said on France 2 public TV channel.

U.S.'s COVID test requirement for UK travelers should extend to other nations -U.S. official

A senior U.S. public health official on Tuesday said the coronavirus testing the United States is requiring for travelers from Britain should probably be extended to other countries as well. "I think that probably should be extended to other countries," U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir told MSNBC.

Exclusive-Chile could greenlight AstraZeneca vaccine 'within days of US/UK approval' -government

AstraZeneca has filed data with Chilean regulators for the emergency roll-out of its COVID-19 vaccine in the country and could get a green light "weeks or even days" after approval by European or American regulators, the government's point person for vaccine procurement told Reuters. The UK-based company has been conducting late-stage trials of its vaccine, developed with Oxford University, in Chile as well as in Brazil, the UK, the United States and South Africa.

U.S. CDC reports 334,029 total deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday reported 334,029 deaths from the new coronavirus, an increase of 1,783 from its previous count. The agency said the number of cases had risen by 176,974 to 19,232,843.

Germany says it needs third COVID vaccine to make inoculation universal

Germany could offer shots against the coronavirus to all who want them by the summer if a third vaccine from either Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca or CureVac wins EU approval, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Tuesday. Spahn was grilled during an interview broadcast live on the website of mass-selling Bild newspaper about media reports that Germany had so far only received four million doses of Pfizer Inc's and BioNTech's vaccine compared to five million shots secured by Israel, whose population is one-tenth of Germany's.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: UK needs tighter rules to avert new 'catastrophe'