had it, that in this plasma there's antibodies. and we want to trial it, to see will it can help people like you." and we want to trial it, to see if it can help people like you." staff at st thomas‘ hospital in london filmed the moment ann was given the plasma. she was the first person in the country to get it. kugan is an a&e charge nurse who's pretty sure he got covid—19 at the hospital where he works. it was kugan‘s plasma that was given to ann. kugan and ann are about to meet for the first time. hello. hi. it's brilliant to see your face, it's amazing. i've been looking so forward to it. 0h, me too. oh, my god. grateful, thankful — there is no words on earth that can describe the feelings.

it isjust a simple thing everyone can do, ann. you've made such a difference, and my family and my friends are so grateful for you, they really are. i do think that you helped save my life. more than 130,000 people who have had covid—19 have now donated their plasma, and just over 1,000 patients have been given a transfusion. it's part of a large trial in hospitals across the uk, co—ordinated by the nhs blood and transfusion service to see if convalenscent plasma can be an effective treatment. absolutely amazing. i'm just so grateful that you people have given me the chance to meet him, and thank him. time for a look at the weather... here's stav da naos.

we start on a murky note but holes have been appearing in the cloud. more sunny spells as this picture shows in huddersfield in west yorkshire, the rest of the day looks like it will stay mainly dry with light wind, one or two showers and we will continue with the sunny spell, the reason for high pressure dominating the scene, but we are looking west to this brewing area of low pressure which will bring windy wet weather to northern ireland, western scotland as we head into tonight. i will show you the at is lite picture with the radar, you can see where the best of the sunshine has been, northern scotland, north east england, across the west midlands but thicker cloud elsewhere, that cloud will continue to thicken up across northern ireland and western scotland, as you move towards the end of day and there will be county council the odd shower round, in the south—east in response to the sunshine, temperatures lift here to a mild 15, maybe 16 degrees, elsewhere you can see 12 to 1a celsius, so another very mild day. as we head on through

this evening and overnight we start to see the wet and windy weather in northern ireland and scotland. it continues to pile in. never really reaching much of eastern scotland and england and wales will tend to stay dry. clear spell, the odd mist and fog patch but it will be chillier here, 6 to 8 but milder further west. this is wednesday, hiring pressure dominating the scene further east. low pressure to the north—west, so it will stay wet in northern ireland, parts of south—west scotland, seeing a lot of rainfall accumulating here, some rainfall accumulating here, some rain getting into eastern scotland but for the majority of england and wales it lot be dry until after dark. some rain getting into western area, could see the odd shower round but it will be mainly dry, windy though, some sunny spells and a touch cooler tomorrow than what we have i had today. that wet and windy weather spreads across the whole country during wednesday night. thursday a ridge of high pressure, we look to the west to more low pressure systems for friday and the

weekend. so on to that rain clearing away from eastern area first thing thursday, it could be the driest and sunniest day of the week in fact, but for western scotland, northern ireland, the breeze and the cloud will start to pick up ahead of new area of low pressure. the temperatures are nine to 13, it will feel fresher, into friday it turns wind yes for all,out breaks of rain spreading from the west and it remains like that as we head to the week. where the winds continue to come in from the south or south—west, we will hold on to the milderair south—west, we will hold on to the milder air mass, temperatures will hover round the low to mid teens celsius. that is how it is looking. that is how it is looking. a reminder of our top story... gps are told to get ready to roll out the new covid vaccine from next month. that's all from the bbc news at one. so it's goodbye from me, and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc‘s

in the past few minutes, the health secretary matt hancock has giving a statement on coronavirus in the house of commons. let's listen to the start of that statement now. first want to update the ho oui’ i first want to update the house on our response to the new variant strain of coronavirus that has been identified in denmark. this shows how vigilant we must be, we have been monitoring the spread of

coronavirus in european mink farms for some time, especially the major countries for mink farming like denmark, spain, poland and the netherlands. spain has already announced the destruction of its farmed mink population in april. 0n thursday evening last, i was alerted toa thursday evening last, i was alerted to a significant development in denmark of eight new evidence that the virus had spread back from mink to humans in a variant form that did not fully respond to covid—19 antibodies. although the chance of this variant becoming widespread is low, the consequences, should that happen, would be grave. working with my right honourable friend the home secretary and the transport secretary, and all the devolved administrations, we removed the travel corridor from travel from denmark on the early hours of friday morning, on saturday and over the weekend, following further clinical

analysis, we introduced a full ban on all international travel from denmark. british nationals or residents who are returning from denmark, whether directly or indirectly, can still travel here but must fully self—isolate along with all other members of their household until two weeks since they we re household until two weeks since they were in denmark. i know these are serious steps and i understand the consequences for people, but i think the whole house will understand why we had to act so quickly and decisively. be in no doubt. we will do what needs to be done to protect this country. now, we do not is that we must harness new technology to keep people safe and in time to liberate. 0ur keep people safe and in time to liberate. our ability to suppress the virus begins with testing for it, and the house will know we have been driving testing forward capacity based on new technologies

and old. yesterday our pcr testing capacity stood at 517,957. the largest testing capacity in europe. 0ver largest testing capacity in europe. over 10 million people in the uk have now been tested at least once in three nhs test and trace, and nhs covid—19 contact tracing app is now approaching 20 million downloads. yet, this historic expansion isjust one part of our critical national infrastructure for testing. just as we drive testing capacity on the existing technology, so too we have invested in the development of the new. i have been criticised with this obsession for a new testing capacity. we have not wavered from the task now we are seeing the fruits of this effort. last week we expanded the pilot in stoke—on—trent to liverpool where we have deployed enough of the cutting—edge lateral flow test to offer testing to the whole city. these tests can deliver

a result on your infectiousness in under 15 minutes so people can get an almost immediate reassurance about their condition, so we can find and isolate the positives and reassure the negatives. to make this happen, nhs‘s test and trace has been working side by side with logistical heft of our armed services and liverpool city council. i want to thank the mayor and his whole team for their work. next, these tests allow us, from today, to begin rolling out twice—weekly testing for all nhs staff, which will help keep people safe when they go into hospital and help keep my wonderful colleagues in the nhs safe as well. now, the next step is to roll out this mass testing capability more widely. i can tell the house that last night i wrote 267 directors of public health who have expressed an interest in making 10,000 tests available immediately

-- 67. and 10,000 tests available immediately —— 67. and making lateralflow tests available by use by local officials, ata available by use by local officials, at a rate of 10% of their population per week. that same capacity, 10% of the publishing per week, will be made available to the devolved administrations. by combining the local knowledge of public health leaders with our extensive national infrastructure, we can tackle this virus in our communities and help oui’ virus in our communities and help our efforts to bring the r down. testing provides confidence and it is this confidence that will help get britain back on our feet once more. finally, while we expand testing to find the virus, the best way to liberate and to get life closer to normal is a vaccine. i can report to the house use of the first phase three trial results of any vaccine anywhere in the world. after tests on 43,000 volunteers, of whom have got the vaccine and half got a

placebo, interim results suggest it is proving 90% effective at protecting people against the virus. this is promising news. we in the uk are among the first to identify the promise shown by the vaccine and we secured an order of 40 million doses. this puts us towards the front of the international pack. we have placed orders for 300 million further doses from five other vaccine candidates which are yet to report to their phase three results, including of course the oxford vaccine. ijust including of course the oxford vaccine. i just want to be including of course the oxford vaccine. ijust want to be clear to the house. we do not have a vaccine yet. but we are one step closer. there are many steps still to take. there are many steps still to take. the full safety data is not yet available and our strong and independent regulator, the nhra, will not approve a vaccine until it is clinically safe. until it is rolled out, we will not know how

long the effect lasts four or its impact, notjust on keeping people safe, but also on reducing transmission. as deputy chief medical officer said yesterday, it is like the first goal scored in a penalty shoot out. you haven't won the cup yet but it tells you that the cup yet but it tells you that the goalkeeper can be beaten, and beat this virus we must. we can and we will. yesterday's announcement marks an important step in the battle against covid—19. as the prime minister said, we must not slacken our resolve and there are no guarantees. it is critical that people continue to abide by the rules and that we all work together to get the r number below one. if this or any other vaccine is approved, we will be ready to begin approved, we will be ready to begin a large—scale vaccination programme. first two priority groups as recommended by the independentjoint

committee on vaccination and immunisation, before rolling it out more widely. 0ur immunisation, before rolling it out more widely. our plans for deployment of the covid vaccine are built on tried and tested plans for a flu vaccine which we deploy every autumn. we do not yet know whether or when a vaccine is approved, but i have tasked the nhs with being ready from any date from the 1st of december. the logistics are complex. the uncertainties are real, and the scale of thejob the uncertainties are real, and the scale of the job is vast. but i know that the nhs, brilliantly assisted by the armed services, will be up to the task. i can tell the house that last night we wrote to gps setting out hundred and £50 million of immediate support and setting out what we need of them, working alongside hospitals and pharmacies in preparing for the deployment. the deployment of the vaccine will involve working long days and weekends, and it comes on top of all

the nhs has already done for us this year. i want to thank in advance my nhs colleagues for the work that this will entail. i know that they will rise to this challenge of being ready, when science comes good, to inject hoping to millions of arms this winter. the course of human history is marked by advances where our collective ingenuity helps us to vanquish the most deadly threats, coronavirus is a disease that strikes at what it is to be human, at the social bonds that unite us, so we must come together as one to defeat this latest threat to humanity. there are many hard days ahead, many hurdles to overcome but our plan is working and i am more sure than ever that we will prevail together. shadow sector. as always i thank the secretary of state for advance sight of his statement and

may take opportunity to congratulate president elect biden and vice president—elect harris, i am sure the house all looks forward to vast international cooperation to debate this virus. can i welcome the announcement of routine testing for nhs staff? he knows it is something lam the nhs staff? he knows it is something i am the chair of the select committee have been pushing for for some months now and it is welcome that we are now in a position to extend that testing. it is important notjust to extend that testing. it is important not just to protect our nhs staff, andl not just to protect our nhs staff, and ijoin in thanking them, but it is important for infection control and health care settings as well. on the roll out of the lateral flow test that is announced today, i understand that he is heading discretion to directors of public health, but does he agree that relatives of care home residents should be given priority access to these tests so they can go into the ca re these tests so they can go into the care home, see their loved ones and even maybe hold their hand or hug them? testing is only one part of

them? testing is only one part of the jigsaw. to avoid this lockdown becoming a let down, we need to put contact tracing in the hands of public health teams from day one. can you update the house on how he is fixing contact tracing? at the releva nt is fixing contact tracing? at the relevant select committee, it has been confirmed that when it comes to isolation people find it very difficult, they need to keep owning and feeding a family is fundamental. he now accept that a better package of financial support is needed to ensure that isolation is adhered to? now, the vaccine. this is indeed a moment of great help in a brick does not year that has shattered so many families. we are optimistic that cautious. we need to see full results, the demographic details of the trials and understand the implications for it to be there will be clinical judgments by implications for it to be there will be clinicaljudgments by the releva nt be clinicaljudgments by the relevant committee around the priority lists which we all understand, but could he outline the latest clinical thinking around

vaccination of children. and while the disproportionate impact of the virus on a minority ethnic communities be taken into account by the relevant conditions when drawing up the relevant conditions when drawing up the final priority list? what is the government's current working assumption of the proportion of the population that needs to be vaccinated to establish how to immunity and bring the r below one? and what timeframe does he envisioned that tapping in? and how many doses does he think we will need to? as you exit the most vulnerable, there will be less people at risk and deaths and infections will come down —— as we vaccinate. is it the government's current working assumption that social distancing and mask wearing will need to continue until that herd immunity is reached? fundamentally, for this to work, we need a plan for the manufacture and

distribution of that vaccine, and cani distribution of that vaccine, and can i gently suggest to the secretary of state that the ball out of test and trace and the early procurement of ppe wasn't a smooth “ as procurement of ppe wasn't a smooth —— as smooth as it might have been. none of us want to see booking syste m none of us want to see booking system is overloaded and our constituents told to travel hundreds of miles like we saw earlier this year with testing. what is the plan? will he publish a strategy and can you tell us how much will be invested in the covid vaccination programme? we need secure supply chains. is the government working internationally to ensure there is enough raw materials to guarantee the mass manufacturing that is needed? 0n distribution, the vaccine used to be kept at —70 celsius, cultivate transport and storage is needed. a year ago he used a post he was the country's biggest purchaser of fridges, is he procuring the

appropriate storage equipment now? well liquid nitrogen be provided to ca re well liquid nitrogen be provided to care homes and gp practices? and will distribution be in place of parts of the country? last of the world health organization described vaccine hesitancy is one of the top ten threats to global health, so can iagain ten threats to global health, so can i again reiterate my offer to work with him on a cross—party basis to build public confidence in the vaccine, promote to take up and dispel antique fax myths? and i did i rather suspect that all members working across the house to promote take—up will probably prove more cost—effective than paying taxpayer money to fund pr this is indeed an important moment, we see a glimmer of light in the distance at the end of light in the distance at the end of this long, dark tunnel. our constituents are helpful, so we look forward to rapid progress in the distribution of this vaccine, so we

can all get back to normal. thank you very much and i am grateful to the honourable member for you very much and i am grateful to the honourable memberfor his questions and the approach that he has rightly ta ken. questions and the approach that he has rightly taken. like him, i am delighted we are able to roll out to routine testing to nhs staff and that starts today. i am grateful to him for his support and indeed the support of the chair of the select committee. 0n contact tracing, we continue to work on the constant improvement needed, but as he said, the expansion of testing in a radical way, because of the new technology that we have invested and spent months working on, means that we will now be able to find more of the primary cases, more of the people who have got the disease and then are able to get them and their

contacts then are able to get them and their co nta cts to then are able to get them and their contacts to isolate, because the single most important challenge is finding the people who have the virus in the first place. he mentioned children, and this vaccine will not be used on children. it hasn't been tested on children, and the reason is that the likelihood of children having significant detriment if they catch covid—19 is very low. this is an adult vaccine by the adult population. he asked about the jcb light prioritisation. it is really important that we prioritise according to clinical risk, and the jcb prioritise according to clinical risk, and thejcb i have looked into all of the risk factors, including ethnicity is one of the risk factors. they have concluded that age, and if you work in health or

social care, id to prime risk factors that far outweigh any other, and they are the primary risk factors that are in the draft be published, which will be updated as they get the final data that comes through from the clinical trials. the opposition spokesman asked about the proportion of the population needing vaccinating. the honest truth to that question is we do not know what proportion of the population vaccination needs to reach in orderfor this population vaccination needs to reach in order for this to stop the epidemic, and the reason we don't know that if you can check in a clinical trial for the know that if you can check in a clinical trialfor the impact know that if you can check in a clinical trial for the impact of the vaccine on protecting the individual, 43,000 individuals, half of whom had the vaccine. what you cannot check is the impact on the

transmission of the disease by those people, because you had to have enough of the population and a significant proportion of the population to have had the back seem to understand that. this is the difference between a so—called disease modifying vaccine, which is testing how much it affects the disease in individual suffers if they get covid—19, versus epidemic modifying vaccine which is the impact of the spread and transmission of the disease. you cannot know that until after it has been ruled out, and so we will monitor it very closely. finally, he asked questions about the manufacture which is important. 0n this vaccine, that is a matter for the company. it is a difficult process. the distribution, which is a huge challenge, being led by the nhs, the cold chain requirements, because this vaccine has to be at -70 because this vaccine has to be at —70 until the final hours, the cold chain requirements are significant and do add to the logistical

complication, but we have known about that requirement for many months now, so it has been part of our planning for some time, and so we have a good degree of confidence but that will be in place. finally, he asked about international collaboration. i am absolutely delighted that the uk has been a leader in the efforts for international collaboration to find a vaccine, putting more money in than any other nation, coordinating and bringing together scientists and vaccine specialists, and also using ouraid vaccine specialists, and also using our aid budget to ensure that people around the world get the vaccine in countries which wouldn't be able to afford to vaccinate their own populations in some cases. we are a big part of the international work here and i very much look forward to working with colleagues in the

united states and everywhere else around the world is on making sure that we can have a global vaccination programme as it is safe and vaccinations can be available. cani and vaccinations can be available. can i congratulate one lady health secretary on securing access to the new vaccine? choosing which vaccine to back must be a bit like playing the let and to secure 40 million doses of the very first vaccine to prove application is an enormous achievement for the country and he deserves great credit. i also want to thank him for bringing forward the introduction of weekly testing of nhs staff to the end of next week, which will reassure our very, very hard—working week, which will reassure our very, very ha rd—working front week, which will reassure our very, very hard—working front line staff that they are not infecting their own patients which is of course one of their primary worries. the biggest issue we face now is the fa ct biggest issue we face now is the fact that only around a fifth of the people we asked to isolate are actually complying, and we don't even know all the people we would

like to ask to isolate in the first place. i wonder what he thinks of the suggestion to the select committee this morning that instead of asking people to isolate, we should give them 48 hour lateral flow tests and then only ask them to isolate if they are positive? thank you very much, i am grateful to my right honourable friend. he is very generous in his words, i also direct hits warm words of gratitude to the vaccine task force that in so much work to making sure we can procure and security supplies of these vaccines, should they prove safe as well as efficacious. 0n the question he asked on the question about the comments, that option of testing people regularly, not if the primary case, not if they have the virus, but if they are contact, that option

wouldn't even be open to us had we not secured the huge capacity for lateral flow testing that we now have in this country. it is something on which i very much look to the clinicians for advice. sir john bell is a highly respected clinician and expert in this... studio: we will pull away from that. we will keep an eye on that debate, it is still going on and bring more to you. now it's time for a look at the weather with stav. hello, looks like the weather will turn more unsettled we reach the middle part of the week with low pressure moving off the atlantic. if other benign when today, variable cloud and spells of sunshine but showers as. we are looking west to this area of low pressure which will start to encroach into northern ireland, western scotland and overnight has been wet and windy weather. wet weather across parts of western scotland by the end of the night. further east will be mainly

dry. wind is not as strong as for the west so chillier then what will be for scotland and northern ireland. 0n be for scotland and northern ireland. on wednesday, very wet and windy to start across parts of northern ireland and western scotland, that means getting into western parts of england and wales but further east it should stay dry. variable cloud, maybe some bright or sunny spells, the showers. 0n thursday, image of high pressure moves in. that will settle things down before more wet and windy weather arrives from friday into the start of the weekend.

this is this bbc news, i'm simon mccoy. the headlines: gps are told to get ready to roll out the new covid vaccine from the start of next month. health secretary matt hancock says all nhs staff need to be prepared. i know that they will rise to this challenge of being ready when the science comes good to inject hope into millions of arms this winter. no exam results in wales next year — instead a—levels, as—levels, and gcses will be replaced with a system based on teacher assessments. a damning report says leaders of the catholic church in england and wales "turned a blind eye" to sexual predators. face to face for the first time — the covid patient and the trial donor whose plasma helped her to recover.