Reuters Health News Summary

Explainer-Where are we in the COVID-19 vaccine race? Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, prioritizing the rapid deployment of the shot as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new, highly contagious variant of the virus.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Britain first to approve AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine

Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new, highly contagious variant of the virus. AstraZeneca said the authorisation was for a two dose regime, and that the vaccine had been approved for use for emergency supply. Britain has ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine. Explainer-Where are we in the COVID-19 vaccine race?

Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, prioritizing the rapid deployment of the shot as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new, highly contagious variant of the virus. The following is what we know about the race to deliver vaccines to help end the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 1.7 million people worldwide: Germany sees rapid EU approval of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine

Germany expects the European Union to give rapid approval to the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca that was cleared for use in Britain on Wednesday, its top vaccines official said. Berlin's support for AstraZeneca comes as EU member countries seek to fill supply chains for vaccination drives that began last weekend using a shot from Pfizer and BioNTech - the only one to win EU approval so far. 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 discovered in Britain was detected in Colorado on Tuesday as President-elect Joe Biden warned it could take years for most Americans to be vaccinated against COVID-19 at current distribution rates. Biden's prediction of a grim winter appeared aimed at lowering public expectations that the pandemic would be over soon after he takes office on Jan. 20, while putting Congress on notice that he wants to significantly increase spending to expedite vaccine distribution, expand COVID testing and help reopen shuttered schools. California nurse tests positive over a week after receiving Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: ABC

A 45-year-old nurse in California tested positive for COVID-19 more than a week after receiving Pfizer Inc's coronavirus vaccine, an ABC News affiliate reported https://bit.ly/2L8iBel on Tuesday. Matthew W., a nurse at two different local hospitals, said in a Facebook post on December 18 that he had received the Pfizer vaccine, telling the ABC News affiliate that his arm was sore for a day but that he had suffered no other side-effects. Italy rules out making COVID vaccine obligatory - PM

Italy will not make COVID vaccinations obligatory, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday, adding he was confident there would be a large-scale demand for the shots among Italians on a voluntary basis. "We are not considering (making it mandatory), we rule it out," Conte told reporters at his year-end news conference. Swiss canton says person died after COVID-19 shot, unclear if there is a link

A Swiss person who was among the first in the country to be vaccinated with a COVID-19 shot later died, officials in the canton of Lucerne said on Wednesday, though they did not indicate whether the death was related to the inoculation. "We are aware of the case," a spokesperson said, adding the matter had been referred to Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic. India drug regulator meets to discuss AstraZeneca vaccine -sources

Experts at India's drug regulator were meeting on Wednesday to consider approving an AstraZeneca/Oxford coronavirus vaccine for emergency use after Britain became the first country to do so, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. A representative of India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) declined to reveal the agenda of the meeting but said its minutes would be uploaded on its website within hours. Do U.S. firefighter medics get early COVID-19 vaccines? Depends on the state

U.S. emergency medical personnel are getting quick access to COVID-19 vaccines in some parts of the United States while fire chiefs in other areas forecast a delay of weeks or months, highlighting the chaotic nature of a rollout that relies on states and counties to plan and administer distribution. A lack of detailed federal guidelines has forced U.S. states and counties to create their own plans for distributing initially limited doses of COVID-19 vaccines in hopes of curbing a raging pandemic that has killed more than 332,000 Americans. What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Britain first to approve AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine