Health News Roundup: PM Johnson sows confusion as UK tightens COVID curbs;

The global coronavirus death toll rose past a million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim statistic in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

PM Johnson sows confusion as UK tightens COVID curbs

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson corrected himself on Tuesday after appearing uncertain about basic social distancing rules that will apply in a large swathe of England. The government announced on Monday a tightening of restrictions on socialising in northeast England from Wednesday, in response to high and increasing COVID-19 infection rates in the region - the latest in a series of local measures.

Coronavirus deaths rise above a million in 'agonizing' global milestone

The global coronavirus death toll rose past a million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim statistic in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live. The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus this year is now double the number of people who die annually from malaria - and the death rate has increased in recent weeks as infections surge in several countries.

Barrett high-court vote against Obamacare not as certain as Democrats claim

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's comments suggesting she backed challenges to the Obamacare healthcare law do not ensure she would vote to invalidate it in an upcoming case, despite Democrats' claims to the contrary. With the Republican-led Senate moving to confirm Barrett to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court within weeks, she could be on the court's bench for oral arguments on Nov. 10 in the case in which some Republican-dominated states led by Texas and backed by President Donald Trump's administration are seeking to invalidate the law.

Lost year: New York parents wrestle with uncertainty as more schools open

Jodi Cook will drop off her son to his Brooklyn school on Tuesday for the first time in months, but even though her 6-year-old will get at least some time interacting face to face with teachers and staff, she fears it will not be enough. Going back to the classroom was the only viable option for Roberto, Cook said. He has some learning challenges and did not do well with remote learning when schools shut last spring. But even with a return to the classroom, Cook fears he might end up not getting access to all the services he needs.

One million COVID-19 deaths 'a very sad milestone', but virus suppressable: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that one million deaths from COVID-19 was "a very sad milestone", after many victims suffered "a terribly difficult and lonely death" and their families were unable to say goodbye. The global coronavirus death toll rose past a million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim statistic in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live.

U.S. senators aim to stop sale of drugs online by going after tech's legal immunity

Two U.S. senators on Tuesday introduced legislation that aims to stop the sale of opioids and illicit drugs online by amending a key federal law that protects internet companies - the latest in a series of bills to go after tech's legal immunity. The legislation, titled the 'See Something, Say Something Online Act' and proposed by Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Republican Senator John Cornyn, requires internet platforms such as Facebook and Alphabet's Google to report suspicious activity online to law enforcement or be held liable for that failure.

Russian scientist behind COVID-19 vaccine defends 'wartime' roll-out

Russia plans to share preliminary results of its COVID-19 vaccine trial based on the first six weeks of monitoring participants, raising the tempo in an already frenzied global race to end the pandemic. Alexander Gintsburg, head of the Gamaleya Institute that produced the Sputnik V vaccine, told Reuters that the pace of its development was necessary under the "wartime" conditions of a pandemic but no corners were being cut.

Nine in ten recovered COVID-19 patients experience side-effects, study shows

Nine in ten coronavirus patients reported experiencing side-effects such as fatigue, psychological after-effects and loss of smell and taste after they recovered from the disease, according to a preliminary study by South Korea. The research comes as the global death toll from COVID-19 passed 1 million on Tuesday, a grim milestone in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live.

UK university students will be able to go home for Christmas: minister

British university students will be able to return home for Christmas despite the impact of local COVID-19 lockdowns that are already impacting students in large parts of the country, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Tuesday. "We are going to work with universities to make sure that all students are supported to return home safely and spend Christmas with their loved ones if they choose to do so," he told lawmakers.

Large percentage of India's population not exposed to coronavirus, government official says

A second serological survey conducted in India in August and September showed a large percentage of India's population had not been exposed to the novel coronavirus, although the prevalence of infection in adults increased, a government official said on Tuesday. Blood samples collected from more than 29,000 adults between Aug. 17 and Sept. 22 showed that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increased to 7.1% compared to 0.73% in the previous survey, the director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research said in a press briefing.