Health News Roundup: Wealthy hospitals rake in U.S. disaster aid for COVID-19 costs; China Sinopharm’s vaccine has 79.34% protection rate against COVID-19 and more

U.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 requires 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.

China Sinopharm's vaccine has 79.34% protection rate against COVID-19

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by a Beijing firm linked to Sinopharm has a protection rate of 79.34% against the disease, the firm said in a statement on Wednesday. Beijing Biological Products Institute Co. Ltd said it had applied to the National Medical Products Administration for conditional approval of the vaccine.

Singapore begins rollout of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine with healthcare workers

A 46-year-old nurse became the first person in Singapore to receive Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, making the city-state among the first Asian countries to begin an inoculation campaign against the coronavirus. Sarah Lim, a senior staff nurse at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, was the first of more than 30 staff at the centre who are being vaccinated on Wednesday, the health ministry said. They will return for the second dose of the vaccine on Jan. 20.

California coronavirus lockdowns extended as hospitals teeter on brink of crisis

Strict stay-at-home orders were renewed indefinitely on Tuesday for much of California, a leading U.S. hot spot of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the state's top health official said that many hospitals were teetering on the brink of crisis. Tough restrictions imposed earlier this month on social and economic life were extended in densely populated Southern California - home to more than half of the state's 40 million people - based on data showing intensive care units there likely to stay filled at or near capacity for weeks to come.

U.S. detects first case of COVID-19 variant as Biden offers gloomy vaccine outlook

The first known U.S. case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant was detected in Colorado on Tuesday as President-elect Joe Biden warned it could take years for most Americans to be vaccinated for the virus at current distribution rates. Biden's prediction of a grim winter appeared aimed at lowering public expectations that the pandemic will be over soon after he takes office on Jan. 20, while also sending a message to Congress that his administration will want to significantly increase spending to expedite vaccine distribution, expand testing and provide funding to states to help reopen schools.

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.

U.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 requires 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.

U.S. military to vaccinate South Korean troops in joint command

The U.S. military will vaccinate South Korean troops serving under a joint command against the coronavirus, South Korea's defence ministry said on Wednesday. The announcement comes after U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) requested formal talks with the South Korean defence ministry over plans to inoculate South Korean personnel who serve with the United States Army.

New coronavirus variant does not cause illness more severe than others -Public Health England study

A new variant of the novel coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe illness than other variants, according to a matched study https://bit.ly/2X7cLgp by Public Health England. Scientists say the new variant can spread more rapidly. It was found in England in mid December and led to other countries imposing travel restrictions to the United Kingdom. Several other countries have reported variants.

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'