UPDATE 10-Oil rises, as investors focus on vaccine rollout, brush off recovery concerns

* First Americans vaccinated as U.S. deaths pass 300,000
* U.S. crude stocks up, distillate rises sharply - API
* European curbs tightened due to rise in COVID-19 cases
* IEA says vaccine impact on demand several months away

(Adds weekly industry data on U.S. oil stockpiles)
By Laila Kearney
NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday as
investors focused on the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, looking
past tightening lockdowns in Europe and forecasts for a
slower-than-expected recovery in fuel demand.
Brent crude LCOc1 settled at $50.76 a barrel, rising 47
cents, or 0.9%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1
settled at $47.62 a barrel, gaining 1.3%, or 63 cents.
The United States began vaccinating people on Monday as the
country's COVID-19 death toll crossed the 300,000 mark.
Britain and Canada have also begun to administer
shots. "The crude market continues to seize upon the future outlook
of the post-pandemic period, which could be as soon as next
summer," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital in New
York.
Crude oil throughput rose by 3.2% year-over-year in China in
November，a record. That helped investor sentiment about coming
increases in fuel demand, said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at
Price Futures Group in Chicago. China has been one of the rare
countries where oil demand has fully recovered from earlier this
year.
"People would assume that the oil demand surge is right
around the corner," Flynn said.
Still, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday any
impact of vaccines on demand is still several months away, while
OPEC said on Monday oil demand will rise more slowly than
expected. IEA/M OPEC/M
Brent hit $51.06 on Dec. 10, highest since March, supported
by vaccine approvals, even as the infection rate has surged in
most regions worldwide.
London stepped up pandemic rules requiring bars and
restaurants to close, Italy is considering more stringent steps
over Christmas, and Germany is likely to be under lockdown until
early 2021. The latest snapshot of U.S. oil supplies showed crude oil
stocks unexpectedly rose last week, according to the American
Petroleum Institute, an industry group.
Crude inventories swelled by 2 million barrels in the week
to Dec. 11 to about 495 million barrels, compared with analysts'
expectations in a Reuters poll for a draw of 1.9 million
barrels, API said. EIA/S
Official government data was scheduled for Wednesday.