The Latest: Brazil high court says vaccine can be mandatory

Abilio Nunes, a Santa Claus performer, waves to children from inside a bubble, a protective measure against the spread of COVID-19, at a shopping center in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Dr. Kathleen Toomey receives her COVID-19 vaccination at Grady Hospital Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Atlanta. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Diane Earle, principal piano with the Owensboro Symphony, plays Christmas music on an electronic piano during a random pop-up performance on Friday during lunchtime outside The Pub on Second in Owensboro, Ky., Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. The performance was provided by the Owensboro Symphony through the Music on Call program to add some entertainment and spread some holiday cheer. (Alan Warren/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP)

In this Sept. 8, 2020 file photo, Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, center, shouts from the bench in the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Miami Heat in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Antetokounmpo has appeared in a government ad in his native Greece, released ahead of Christmas to urge people to observe public safety measures during the pandemic. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

In this Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 file photo, blood samples from volunteers participating in the last-stage testing of the COVID-19 vaccine by Moderna and the National Institutes wait to be processed in a lab at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami. Creating vaccines and properly testing them less than a year after the world discovered a never-before-seen disease is incredible. But the two U.S. frontrunners are made in a way that promises speedier development may become the norm -- especially if they prove to work long-term as well as they have in early testing. (AP Photo/Taimy Alvarez, File)

Nurse Anne-Catherine Charlier, right, and co-workers, wearing personal protection equipment, work in the intensive care ward for COVID-19 patients at the CHR Citadelle hospital in Liege, Belgium, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. Belgium has been hit hard by the pandemic with more than 18,000 confirmed deaths. The patient was not confirmed but suspected to have coronavirus. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Frankfurt's mayor Peter Feldmann, right, stands in the Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany, during the introducing of a vaccination center on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. German states say they expect vaccination to start on Dec. 27. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

A Russian medical worker finishes the procedure after administering a shot of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. While excitement and enthusiasm greeted the Western-developed coronavirus vaccine when it was rolled out, the Russian-made serum has received a mixed response, with reports of empty Moscow clinics that offered the shot to health care workers and teachers — the first members of the public designated to receive it. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

A cleric wearing protective clothing lowers the body of a woman who died from COVID-19 into a grave at a cemetery in the outskirts of the city of Ghaemshahr, in northern Iran, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

A christmas tree decorated with face masks and toilet rolls is displayed in a store in the street in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. Some of Spain's regions are tightening health restrictions for the Christmas holidays with new COVID-19 cases already on the rise again. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Street musician Roz Malin wears a face mask as he plays the saxophone in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. Some of Spain's regions are tightening health restrictions for the Christmas holidays with new COVID-19 cases already on the rise again. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

An Indian man wearing face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus pushes his bicycle with load in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s Supreme Court says coronavirus vaccination can be made mandatory, delivering a blow to the nation’s nascent anti-vaccine movement.

However, the court also says Brazilians may not be vaccinated against their will. A court statement says Thursday’s ruling does pave the way for state and municipal governments to approve laws imposing fines or restrictive measures for anyone refusing to take a vaccine.

President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly said he will not take any vaccine and opposes mandatory immunization. He has also sown skepticism about potential side effects.

Opinion polls have indicated a growing resistance to vaccination, with about one-fifth of Brazilians surveyed by pollster Datafolha this month saying they don’t intend to get a shot. That is more than double the percentage four months earlier.

Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa has yet to approve any shot for mass immunization.

___

THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

Health experts are convening to discuss the Moderna vaccine data. The panel of physicians and medical researchers is expected to endorse it, followed by the FDA's OK soon after. A Pfizer vaccine got the go-ahead last week.

French president Macron tests positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating. Macron recently met with numerous European leaders. The French and Spanish prime ministers are among many top officials in quarantine.

___

Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

___

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says the state will keep paying for extra nurses to assist hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities that have struggled to find staff and keep up with demand because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kemp said Thursday Georgia will commit as much as $70 million to pay staffing agencies that are providing extra nurses through March. Georgia is on track to spend $250 million on the program this year.

The state has spent federal coronavirus aid on the program so far. Kemp hopes the federal government will free up more money to cover the costs, but spokesperson Cody Hall says Georgia will use state money if no federal money is available.

Hospitals and nursing homes have struggled with staffing as some employees are infected or quarantined.

___

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has announced 54 deaths from COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours state's deadliest day since the pandemic began. as he announced a record 54 new coronavirus deaths. The state also reported 3,349 new cases of COVID-19.

Kentucky’s previous one-day record of 38 deaths was Dec. 2. The state has reported more than 3,300 confirmed or probable coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began.

The state public health commissioner is urging people to limit social gatherings during the holiday season in order to slow the spread of the virus. Residents are recommended to limit travel and limit the size of gatherings to two households and no more than eight people.

___

SAN DIEGO — A California judge says all restaurants in San Diego County can resume on-site dining with safety protocols, marking a setback to the governor’s stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil made that clear Thursday in explaining his ruling a day earlier protecting two strip clubs from pandemic restrictions. He says that decision also covers the thousands of restaurants in the county of 3 million people.

County officials suspended enforcement of restrictions barring indoor and outdoor dining and live entertainment after the Wednesday ruling. But they requested Thursday’s hearing to get clarification from the judge about the scope of his decision.

___

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he is going to get vaccinated against the coronavirus in the next few days.

The Kentucky Republican says the Capitol physician informed him that he is eligible to be among the first vaccinated “because of government continuity requirements.”

Unlike Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, McConnell is not in the line of succession for the presidency but as majority leader he is in charge of running the Senate.

McConnell says that as a polio survivor, he is especially aware of the “extraordinary promise of hope” that vaccines offer. He says he will continue to wear a mask and follow other health guidelines after being vaccinated.

___

BATON ROUGE, La. — The number of people in Louisiana hospitalized with COVID-19 has reached heights exceeding the state’s summer surge of the disease that can be caused by the coronavirus.

The more than 1,600 hospitalizations announced Thursday mutes some excitement surrounding this week’s first virus vaccinations.

Dr. Catherine O’Neal is an infectious disease expert at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. She says the Baton Rouge hospital admitted the most COVID-19 patients over the previous 24 hours than it has seen in a similar period since July.

O’Neal says: “Our hospital’s full. Every hospital in the state is full.”

Gov. John Bel Edwards says at least 7,000 of Louisiana’s hospital workers have received vaccines so far.

___

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas’ coronavirus infections in the latest 24 hours rose above 3,000 for the first time in the pandemic.

The Department of Health reported 3,039 new cases Thursday, raising the state’s total to 194,543. Officials said 38 people died of COVID-19, increasing the pandemic's toll to 3,112.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says the new high in cases is “a milestone we did not want to reach.”

Space in Arkansas’ intensive care units continued to shrink, with only 46 of its 1,154 ICU beds unused. About a quarter of the state’s 9,037 hospital beds were available.

___

ATHENS, Greece — NBA basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo has appeared in a commercial in his native Greece, released ahead of Christmas to urge people to observe public safety measures during the pandemic.

“All victories start with defense,” the Milwaukee Bucks star said, speaking in Greek in the minute-long spot edited in black and white.

The ad features photographs of Antetokounmpo growing up in an Athens neighborhood, the son of struggling Nigerian immigrants, and scenes from his participation in the games with the Greek national basketball team.

“I have learned in life to look my opponent in the eye. But for the first time in my life, I’m playing against an invisible opponent,” the player said in the commercial. “I can’t see it but it’s there. That’s how I see the virus, Covid. Now we have to play defense.”

The ad was launched in a tweet from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Greece launched a nationwide lockdown on Nov. 7 that will remain in effect for two months. Public health officials have issued daily appeals for people to remain cautious over the Christmas holidays, as hospitals in high-infection areas remain close to capacity.

___

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Labor unions are accusing Connecticut court officials of refusing to address concerns about the coronavirus and putting workers at risk of contracting COVID-19. A coalition of unions representing nearly 4,000 court system employees said Thursday that they’re calling for an immediate meeting with Chief Justice Richard Robinson and Judge Patrick Carroll III, the chief court administrator. Union officials say the Judicial Branch has not curtailed work activity in its buildings, despite rising virus cases. Carroll says judicial officials have been meeting regularly with union officials to address their concerns, and the Judicial Branch has been following coronavirus guidance from state health officials to keep people safe.

___

AUSTIN, Texas — More than 1 million Texans are expected to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by the end of the month as part of the largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history, Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday.

Texas had received about 95,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine through Wednesday with another 129,000 doses to be delivered Thursday, Abbott said. That number is expected to grow if the Food and Drug Administration quickly approves a second vaccine from the drugmaker Moderna, Abbott said.

At a press conference Thursday, Abbott said he had not yet been vaccinated but planned to do so after front-line health care workers are inoculated.

The vaccine is arriving as cases of COVID-19 and virus-related hospitalizations are on the rise. Texas reported 9,528 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 252 more fatalities from the disease caused by the virus Wednesday. Intensive care units in some regions were at or near full capacity, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

There were 728.5 new cases per 100,000 people in Texas over the past two weeks, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. One in every 268 people in Texas tested positive for the virus in the past week.

___

LOS ANGELES — California health authorities have reported a one-day record of 379 coronavirus deaths and more than 52,000 new confirmed cases.

The staggering new figures released Thursday mean California has seen more than 1,000 deaths in the last five days and nearly 106,000 cases in just two days.

Many of the state’s hospitals are now running out of capacity to treat the severest cases.

California’s pandemic death toll now stands at 21,860. The state has also seen the most cases in the nation with more than 1.7 million confirmed.

In Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous, authorities reported Wednesday that two people are dying every hour as hospitals struggle to keep up with the surge of coronavirus patients.

___

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Rep. Mike Rogers said Thursday he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing mild symptoms, becoming the second Republican member of Alabama’s congressional delegation to announce he had contracted the illness caused by the new coronavirus.

Rogers, 62, said he was self-isolating after consulting with the House physician.

“I am experiencing mild symptoms but otherwise I am in good spirits and looking forward to getting back to work soon,” he said in a tweet.

Rogers, of Saks, won a 10th term representing east Alabama’s 3rd District last month.

Rep. Robert Aderholt of Haleyville announced last month he had tested positive for COVID-19 but wasn’t experiencing symptoms. Aderholt spoke Monday at the Alabama Capitol during a ceremony that coincided with the meeting of the Electoral College

___

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma school teachers have been moved to a higher priority on the lists to receive the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Kevin Stitt said Thursday.

“I’ve directed the state department of health to move K-12 teachers and support staff who interact with students up to phase two of our vaccine distribution plan,” Stitt said.

Stitt said the change helps accomplish his goal of returning all the state’s schools to in-person classes in January, following the Christmas holiday break. State health commissioner Dr. Lance Frye said no one in the second phase to receive vaccinations will be removed. Front-line health care workers are to the first being vaccinated, followed by long-term care providers and residents, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and pharmacy staff who will administer the vaccine in long-term care facilities.

The second phase includes first responders, health care workers providing outpatient care to COVID-19 patients, those 65 and older, anyone with underlying conditions making them susceptible to the virus and staff and residents of congregate settings, such as prisons.

___

BERLIN — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is appealing to rich nations to support the purchase of coronavirus vaccines for poor countries.

Guterres says the U.N.-backed COVAX program needs $5 billion until the end of January. The program, created to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries, currently faces a shortfall of more than $20 billion, he says.

“At the same time, I see countries that have bought more vaccines than several times the volume of their population or at least made the bids in that regard,” said Guterres, urging governments to donate excess doses to COVAX.

He notes it is in the best interest of the world to ensure broad immunization because “nature always strikes back.”

“If we don’t eradicate the disease, a virus can mutate,” he says, “and vaccines that at a certain moment are effective can no longer be effective if things change.”