this is bbc news. the headlines: the bbc understands that some of the initial delivery of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being brought to the uk today, via eurotunnel. scotland's first minister and england's deputy chief medical officer says every effort will be made to get the vaccine into care homes as soon as possible. the top priority that the jcvi has identified our care homes for older people, and also the workers in care homes. the reason for that is the death toll in care homes has been awful. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next year will be graded more generously, to try to compensate for lost learning during the pandemic.

the christmas getaway begins for university students — but they are encouraged to get themselves tested and reduce social contact before they start travelling. there have been "multiple casualties" after a large explosion in a warehouse at avonmouth near bristol, the fire service says. and coming up... the couple who applied to live on a remote scottish island — even though they'd never been there. hello good afternoon.

the first doses of the pfizer—biontech covid—19 will arrive in britain very soon. a mass vaccination programme will begin next week after the uk became the first country in the world to approve the jab yesterday. data released last month shows this vaccine offers 95 % protection against covid—19 across all age groups, and any side effects are mild. the uk has a0 million doses on order — that's enough for 20 million people. 800,000 of those are already on their way here. it will be given as two injections — three weeks apart. immunity begins after the first dose, but reaches maximum protection one week after the second dose. the vaccine has to be stored at —70 degrees celsius. because hospitals already have the facilities for this, the first vaccinations are likely to take place there — for care home workers, nhs staff and patients. although the pfizer

vaccine is the first to be given the green light — two others are also currently being reviewed by the uk regulator and could be approved soon. england's deputy chief medical 0fficerjonathan van—tam has warned though that there will be no immediate return to normal life, saying ‘we have to take it really carefully.‘ anna collinson reports. it is the day after what has been called a day to remember. the uk has now approved its first coronavirus vaccine. now the next challenge is getting it to patients. the pfizer and biontechjap needs to be transported from belgium and the bbc understand some of the initial delivery will travel via the eurotunnel today. there is a technical issue related to the pfizer vaccine that we currently expect to receive very shortly in the uk, and i do mean hours not days. there is a technical issue related to the cold storage.

age is by far the biggest risk factor when it comes to coronavirus, so older age groups were to be prioritised. but as priority meets reality, there has been some trade off. the pfizer vaccine has to be kept at very low temperatures. when the first doses arrive, they will be sent to hospitals who have the ultracold facilities to store it. roll out is due to happen across the uk next week. from blackpool to brighton, people will initially need to go to the vaccine rather than the vaccine come to them. the focus will be nhs staff, care home workers and older hospital patients. this change is a concern for those who thought they were first in line, people who live in care homes. i suspect that the majority... the vast majority of care home workers will not get the vaccine until next year, and i would be very surprised if many people in care homes get it at all this year. we are told all efforts are being made to get the pfizer

vaccine into care homes, but some of the most vulnerable may need to wait for another one to be approved which is easier to store and move around. we made clear recommendations that vaccine supply and transport issue may interrupt the exact priority order by which people get the vaccine. but rest assured, we are going to make sure that those care home staff are immunised, which will give these elderly people protection. and as soon as feasible, we would expect those residents to be immunised. it is hoped the oxford vaccine could be approved before christmas, but caution is still needed over the festive period. the first to receive the pfizer vaccine will not be fully protected until january. and even then, complete protection cannot be guaranteed. as the uk approaches another grim milestone of 60,000 coronavirus deaths, the message is there is still a way to go. anna collinson, bbc news.

the first consignment of this vaccine is on its way to the uk from belgium. 0ur correspondent in brussels is nick peak and can explain a little more. we believe that the first batches of the pfizer vaccine will be taken through the eurotunnel today. that is from calais in northern france and emerging in folkestone in kent. they are packing it up in the pfizer factory about 45 minutes north of where i am talking to you today. we we re where i am talking to you today. we were there yesterday and we saw the lorries rolling out. it is worth stressing that although pfizer, the company behind this vaccine, wanted to shout from the rooftops about what they have created, as you can imagine they are much less keen to give a running commentary of the travel movements of what is extremely precious cargo. it does seem good news that it is on the way. let's talk about this

pfizer vaccine... we can speak now to dr david nabarro — special envoy of who director general on covid—i9. he's also a co—director of global health at the institute of global health innovation at imperial college, london, and joins me now. do you sense a degree of impatience in this country? is it understandable that the fervour around this? i think it is quite understandable because after all this virus has caused havoc in so many countries and has been a massive impact on people's lives everywhere. so, of course, as we see this new and wonderful technology becoming available, we are all excited. i certainly am. but there was something that was set in your report just now that was something that was set in your reportjust now that i really like jane to emphasise, it is going to be quite a number of months before there is enough vaccine available, probably coming from different

sources, that gets to everybody who needsit sources, that gets to everybody who needs it so that the vaccine can really bring down the intensity of this pandemic. so, we will need all of us to continue to practice physical distancing, to wear face protection, to be incredibly good with our hygiene, and to stay out of the way when we are sick. we must not let this virus go on dominating us, we must get ahead of it. the vaccine will help and it will particularly look after a number of people who would be at risk, but for several months, and i'm not sure how many, it all depends on how quickly these logistical issues we heard about can be dealt with, but we will need to continue to treat the virus with respect and not let it get on top of us again. that is so interesting. when you say it will ta ke interesting. when you say it will take several months to get through to everyone who needs it, is that a

certain category of person you are talking about? if we really want to use a vaccine to stop a pandemic, we have to get high levels of immunisation among the whole population that is at risk. to get there from where we are now will be a hard, and i think also quite tricky journey, a hard, and i think also quite trickyjourney, especially for this very cold vaccine. it is months, you know,, and very cold vaccine. it is months, you know, , and quite very cold vaccine. it is months, you know,, and quite a lot of months before everybody will be able to be vaccinated. i do not know how many because i am not privy to the plans. when i'm looking at the world, we are talking about a lot of months before everybody gets it. i am just saying, let's all be excited but let's remember we have still got a bit of the journey to go. really interesting. do you think that governments all over the world

should be almost doing an information campaign to that point? saying, perhaps even if you have had the jab, please keep social distancing, keep washing your hands, is it really about education? yes, it is. we do not know, here is the truth, we do not know how useful the new vaccine is going to be in stopping transmission of the virus. we know from the data that they are going to help people to avoid getting seriously ill and dying, but the impact of the vaccine on transmission is not known. that is why we must continue with the precautions that we have all been going on about. yes, an information campaign is key and it is going to have to be one where everybody is seen have to be one where everybody is seen to be doing what is necessary and does it. especially those who are in positions of authority. and it is potentially quite tricky, isn't it, for those in authority,

for governments to manage? 0nce people start getting the vaccine, which of a category of people we are talking about, do note that a government is going to come under pressure from, for example, sporting organisations who say, we want thousands in our stadiums, from music venues, who are on the point of collapse, who say we want 5000 people back in this venue. is that the tricky area they are? it is for the tricky area they are? it is for the government to say, we hear your economic pain, but... what i am hopeful is that we will be able, as humanity, to be able to make the behaviour changes that we need to make in the coming months without needing to have these heavy restrictions put on our lives, because they are the factors that lead to the economic problems. if we can find lead to the economic problems. if we canfind a lead to the economic problems. if we can find a way to maintain the distancing, wear masks, do the hygiene and other things that matter, the virus levels will go

down, helped by the vaccine, without having to go back into restrictions again. that will be so good, i shall be shouting with joy from the rooftops because i want is to be able to continue with economic activity whilst at the same time stop the virus from spreading. it is a double goal that we have. stop the virus and keep the economy going so that people can earn and so that life can go on with everything that we need to happen. it is so important for humanity and particularly important for the countries that have been under lockdown for some weeks and months. always relate interesting to talk to you. thank you very much. the proportion of people being contacted by the test and trace programme in england has increased — after contact tracers stopped trying to reach all under—18s individually. now a parent or guardian in the household confirms

that the child has been asked to self—isolate. 72% of people who had been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus were told to self—isolate in the week ending november 25th. that compares with 60% the previous week. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next summer will get advance notice of some topics in the exams, and will be graded more generously. the education secretary gavin williamson says the changes will compensate for the disruption to teaching caused by the coronavirus pandemic. labour says it's worried that the pupils who missed the most lessons, will still lose out. 0ur education editor bra nwen jeffreys reports. heading home to self—isolate, year 11 at the secondary school. just before it was confirmed, some shared their gcse fears with me. i have a lot of worries about gcses because i really feel like there is not much being done about the amount of time we missed.

i prefer to be in the school to learn, so the disruption to that isjust going to really knock my focus off my education. i note that students and teachers are making an enormous effort —— i know that students and teachers are making an enormous effort to catch up with any lost learning. to support those most affected by the continuing disruption, the end ofjanuary students are going to be given advance notice of some other topic areas that will be assessed in their gcses and a—levels. so, with narrowing down the topics in each subject help? i think that will be the most beneficial thing, one of the most beneficial things that they can do, because it really, like, gives you that tiny bit of hope that we need at this time. how will gcse and a—level exams work in 2021? grades will be more generous than normal, mainly in line with 2020. advance warning of some topics will be given, but not the questions. some study aids will be allowed —

that could be a formula or a vocabulary list. and special measures will be used to work out grades for an exam missed. after a term of covid disruption, the does give schools a bit more certainty, but they are going to have to wait until january to find out what topics will be in which exam papers. and there is still one big unanswered question — how do you take account of the fact that some kids have missed so much more learning than others? so, an expert group will look at that bigger picture, but grades are not likely to be adjusted. and here they are worried about disruption after christmas. if we stick to the plan and the continued disruption across the country happens right through until, whether it is march, april, i think we are going to have a massive impact on the well—being of younger people and families, and we are going to see a very unfair system and probably a return

to the debacle of last year. northern ireland also plans to hold exams, but in wales, they have been cancelled. whilst scotland only plans to have exams for highers. schools are still dealing with coronavirus. faith in these plans will be tested in the next few months. branwen jeffreys, bbc news. university students in england and wales are starting to go home for christmas from today — although under strict coronavirus rules. students across the uk are facing extra checks before they can be reunited with the families. and their return in the new year will be staggered — with some not going back until february. damian grammaticas reports. ready, set, all systems go. beginning today the great christmas getaway. these are the first students in the queue for free rapid tests

here at anglia ruskin university in cambridge. a quick swap and a two hour wait is all it takes. going home to my family, so ijust wanted to make sure that i was safe to go home. those with the all clear need to travel as soon as possible, but if you are found to be carrying the virus, you have to wait and self—isolate. doing the test now, though, means there is still enough time to quarantine and get home for christmas. i would like to know whether or not i will be, i suppose, endangering my family. but obviously if i get the test and it comes back positive, i will not be going back. so it isjust peace of mind i suppose. and students do not have to do this, testing is voluntary. so, around the country, tests are happening. here in london, in newcastle the infrastructure in place, and in st andrews in scotland. across the uk the aim is to try to limit the risks. so university christmas plans vary. in england and wales, students are being asked to travel

by the 9th of december. in scotland and northern ireland, no set window, instead staggered dates to avoid a surge of travellers all at once. and for the new university term after christmas, a slow delayed return from early january until february to avoid a repeat of the campus outbreaks earlier this year. so, when they come back injanuary, we will be able to test them when they come back on the campus. they will get to tests, and if they are negative of course they can start their courses straightaway. if they were positive, they would have to get a test from the nhs and then they would go into a self isolation period. students are much more aware now that they can be vectors spreading covid—i9, so the hope as most will seek to protect their families. five seconds of uncomfort versus being in hospital with tubes down you, it's not really much of a question, is it? but what is a question is whether reuniting families for the holiday and then bringing students back again can be done without ceding new infections.

many elements to the coronavirus education story today. we are talking about university students allowed to start returning home from today, that window of opportunity they have got to travel. and of course we have the announcement from the education secretary about changes to gcses and a—levels in england next year. some help there with some sort of guidance towards topics and also slightly more generous marking systems. we can now speak to speak to geoff barton, general secretary of the association of school and college leaders union. very good afternoon. do you well, what gavin williamson announced this morning? well, i think parents and teachers welcome the fact that there isa teachers welcome the fact that there is a decision at least. at least we now have a direction of travel. if you are a gcse student or an a—level

student, if you're at school or at home, every single assessment a teacher is done, you have been thinking is this ultimately going to end up being used because the exams are going to be cancelled. at least are going to be cancelled. at least a commitment to changing exams and running exams and doing some other modifications, i think most people are going to welcome that. modifications, i think most people are going to welcome thatm modifications, i think most people are going to welcome that. it sounds on the face of that is if questions are almost going to be spoon fed is much too strong a face, and that is not a phrase the education sector are used, but there might be people and parents watching thinking, well, is myjob going to have much incentive to study if they broadly know which questions they are going to be answering? is the balance right? would there be an incentive for my child if the exams were cancelled? for my child if the exams were cancelled ? they've for my child if the exams were cancelled? they've been working on a system almost since they went to school that exams are the all and end all. i think the notion of trying to run the exams is the right one. i think the phrase been feeding is unhelpful because you have got

young people who, in some cases, have missed four or five weeks or teaching since september. that is not of there or their schools are making. it is because the regulations have been followed. those people who think you could run a full exam with the same content, testing people and what they may not have studied, that is simply unfair. i think there is a flexibility around us and when you listen to what modifications are, i think pretty reasonable. they should reassure young people whose anxiety is through the roof at the moment, in many cases. i suppose it does. is there any way at all a balancing things out in the broadest sense, because we know the problem throughout the pandemic has been that some pupils have received fantastic teaching, albeit online, but absolutely they have received all the normal course work, it has been a remarkable effort by some schools, but we know that for others thatis schools, but we know that for others that is not the case. there is iniquity there that you cannot eradicate. totally. you have other

all the stuff when schools were not open and then it depended on whether your school was able to provide you a digital infrastructure, and some schools did and some schools did not have the capacity to do it. in the main, it is better than has been said. secondly, you had young people going back to school and then quickly being sent away. for example, a school in north yorkshire, all of your 11 having to go home because they are following the guidance that the bubble needs to be at home. i do have an exam system that, if i have not missed any, and yet my friend in the school next door has missed five or six weeks, how do you do something? what weeks, how do you do something? what we have seen today is a government which is trying to do something by seeing two things. one is saying at the end of january, seeing two things. one is saying at the end ofjanuary, your teacher will have hopefully finished the course with you, covering the whole course with you, covering the whole course as best they can. what we will then announce is what you will be tested on any exam. yet they are not going to tell you the questions, but they are going to tell you the topics. the advanced material you

have there, it might be a case study oi’ have there, it might be a case study or quotations, whatever it might be, so or quotations, whatever it might be, so that actually your learning is about not just memorisation, so that actually your learning is about notjust memorisation, it is about notjust memorisation, it is about applying skills. again, somebody who has missed out on lots of teaching, but taking off set out, taking performance tables out, it does allow teachers from january through to a slightly delayed examination scheme to say we will do everything we can, particularly on behalf of the disadvantaged young people to do what we can to help them to catch up and prepare them to get the qualifications they need. thank you very much for your time. it apologise for a slight popping on the line, but i think we got the essence of what he was to say. and we'll be discussing this with former education secretary justine greening at two thirty.

just take a look at a few stories in brief. the eu's chief brexit negotiator has said a major gap still exists on fisheries as the clock ticks down to the deadline for a trade deal. michel barnier, who is in london for talks, said britain must come with a ready deal. he said negotiators are millimetres away from the european union's red lines but insisted that what remains to be agreed is "quite substantial". the transition period ends on december 31st, but there are fears that unless a deal is agreed by the middle of next week, it can't be turned into law in time. the welsh government has announced cross—border travel into wales will be allowed for people living in tieri and 2 areas in england — but those from districts in tiers 3 will remain under a travel ban. during england's national lockdown, travel in and out of wales was banned unless it was for an essential reasons. the new arrangements, which come into force on friday,

are less prohibitive than before the england lockdown — which banned travel from tier 2 and 3 areas. the transport secretary grant shapps has been telling mps about the government's plans to make it easier for people looking to travel during the christmas period. engineering works on the railways have been postponed, and there'll be an increase in train and coach services. but he warned that people would still need to plan ahead before travelling: a lot of families will be getting together for the first time in households, mixing in a maximum of three, and christmas journeys are likely to be more difficult than usual this year as a result. passengers will want to plan their journeys very carefully. to help passengers prepare for travel, we are putting a plan in place, a number of different plans, including clearing 778 miles worth of roadworks, ensuring that 95% of the rail network will be unaffected by engineering work by either postponing or altering them,

lengthening trains and adding additional rail services, tripling the number of coach services available, ensuring that lateral flow testing is available at six different sites for transport workers in order to ensure that they are available and healthy to work. many rail companies, including avanti, lner, emr and others, are relaxing their peak fares. i have also appointed sir peter hendy to look after this period of time to ensure that people can travel as smoothly as possible. let's try to tell you what we know about those reports of a large explosion at a warehouse on the outskirts of bristol. we know that the south western ambulance service says it has sent teams to the site.

the fire service said they were called to a large explosion, as they termed it, just after 11:20am. many crews at the site is what they have told pa. the ambulance service is at the site, as well. helicopters are in use and there was a blast they are at that warehouse. essentially, we are trying to get a lot more information about that because it is clearly a n information about that because it is clearly an ongoing situation. we do know there is a lot of emergency services at the scene. we are still looking at that and we will try to bring you more information about that in the next 30 minutes or so. finally this lunchtime, would you move to live somewhere you've never visited? that's what one couple from bristol have done. alex mumford and buffy cracknell were among hundreds of people who applied to live and work on the isle of rum, 30 miles off the west coast of scotland, after seeing an advert asking for new residents. with the winter cold

and the nights drawing in, the couple arrived this week... both of us have always enjoyed being kind of in the middle of nowhere or in the countryside, but when we went away to new zealand last year, we knew that it was something we wanted to do long—term. we didn't know specifically where, but when this came up, we knew it was something we'd both really enjoy. so the area that we live in at the moment is bristol. yeah, we walk, there is a parkjust close by where we get our... walks in. 0ur nature fix! it's just a small flat in a block of flats. we'd seen it on the telly and in pictures and that's as far as we went. we googled it an awful lot. here is our van, all packed and ready to go. took part of the day yesterday and a few more hours and part of the afternoon this morning but we are on our way, to the isle of rum!

the main thing from the first night i think was the fact that we were pretty chilly. yeah! i think so. it was also pouring with rain, i think it must have done 24 hours of rain. and bristol is a pretty rainy place but this is different, yeah! being able to walk outside the door and go for a walk within a scenic area rather than having to get ina car. i think life is too short to hold back and say, i'm not sure if i can do it, i'm not sure if it's right for me. i just think take the step and just go for it like we have and if it doesn't work, we will do something else. we have got each other, we have got family and friends so i thinkjust take a step and i think if you put hard work into it and put yourself wholeheartedly behind it, i think you'll be all right on the other side.

well, hope they are enjoying it. they did reference the weather, we cannot ignore that. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. it has been a cold day today, the wettest weather has been across england and wales but it is a bit messy overnight tonight because that wetter weather pushes more towards the eastern side of england, into eastern scotland. as it moves into the colder air, it will turn to snow in scotland. some snow over the northern pennines. some wetter weather running into the south—east of england and east anglia. cold night, of course. she frost in england and wales, more widespread in scotland and northern ireland. snow in scotland could bring some travel disruption early on. snow will turn to rain, it will push down towards northern ireland on stronger winds. the rain clears and south in england, into northern england. could be some speediness in there. some snow developing over the pennines. it should turn drier over the midlands and southern england

through the afternoon. a cold day and feeling colder because they winds will be stronger, as well. 0ver winds will be stronger, as well. over the weekend, it calms down, the once dropped, it will turn drier. dry for most on sunday but still cold. hello, this is bbc news — with jane hill. the headlines: the bbc understands that some of the initial delivery of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being brought to the uk today via eurotunnel. scotland's first minister and england's deputy chief medical officer says every effort will be made to get the vaccine into care homes as soon as possible the top priority that the jcvi has identified our care homes for older people, and also the workers in a ca re people, and also the workers in a care homes. the reason for the death toll in the care homes has been

awful. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next year will be graded more generously, to try to compensate for lost learning during the pandemic. the christmas getaway begins for university students — but they are encouraged to get themselves tested and reduce social contact before they start travelling. there has been a large explosion in a warehouse at avonmouth near bristol — police say there have been "multiple casualties." sport now — and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre.

80 £50 million deal between the premier league and afl has been agreed following months of negotiations between the two governing bodies. let's bring in a simon stone on more of this. firstly, break and a £250 million, because it is different for the championship and then at league i and two clubs. it certainly is, it is £50 million earmarked for clubs in league! is £50 million earmarked for clubs in league i and league 2, that will be £39 in terms of a grant, of which each leaguei be £39 in terms of a grant, of which each league i club will get a minimum of £325,000. each league 2 clu b minimum of £325,000. each league 2 club will get a minimum of two and £50,000. then there is £20 million monitored grant, and that will only be paid if requested, and that will be paid if requested, and that will be linked into player wages and tra nsfer costs a nd be linked into player wages and

transfer costs and business plans. for the championship, the premier league have agreed to facilitate a £200 million loan, and in doing so, they will pay £15 million in interest payments. each championship clu b interest payments. each championship club will have access to £8.3 million, but they don't have to take it. this has got to be repaid by june 2024, and the money will come back through normal premier league solidarity payments and central distribution. so that is alone for the championship and a grant for leagues one and league 2. so there will be lots of interesting conversations as they may be potentially different approaches there. but i wonder why it has taken until now to agree to this deal. that is a good question because the

efl chair man first alerted the game to this in april when he spoke to a dc ms select committee. this talk has been ongoing for some considerable time. dcms thought that they would pay this money over when football resumed to the efl in order to sustain the game at a progression level. but the deal has taken a long time to negotiate, is look for a while as though it was going to be done. it is done now, but the issue is that it is a loan, not a giveaway, and this money has to be paid back. championjockey 0isin murphy has spoken for the first time since being banned for testing positive for cocaine. in an exclusive interview with bbc sport the irishman admitted that his reputation has been damanged. he's serving a three month ban,

and says that investigators had accepted that he hadn't taken the drug. i became aware of a situation where cocaine was present in my environment, i saw it there. i didn't remove myself from that situation immediately. when you sign your jockeys license situation immediately. when you sign yourjockeys license every year, you have got to abide by the rules, and that was my error. i very much have no self—pity, i made a mistake and i have got to live with the consequences. andy sullivan is the man to catch at the dubai championship. sullivan added a second round of 66 to his opening 61 atjumeirah golf estates for a halfway total of 17 under par. that gives him a three—shot lead over fellow englishmen matt wallace and ross fisher. that's all the sport for now.

let's return to one of our main stories. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next summer will get advance notice of some topics in the exams, and will be graded more generously. it is all part of trying to deal with the learning that has been lost through the coronavirus pandemic. let's discuss those proposals with justine greening, who was conservative education secretary from 2016 to 2018. what do you make of this as an idea? i think the steps on grading our welcome moves, they have been broadly welcomed by head teachers. i think the remaining challenge is a significant one, which as we know that different young people have been affected differently by the school shut down

by the pandemic, so there is a working panel looking at how we can ta ke working panel looking at how we can take that into account. but i think the point i would make is that, that is simply about the fact that the inequalities that we already see in the education system have been made worse by covid this coming year for exams, but what we really need to look at is how we tackle those inequalities that were there any time of the year, and between the stuffing years, i recognise that covid has widened them but they were already there, therefore you need a more fundamental rethink around exams and education so that we finally get to grips with closing some of those education and equality. then we look more broadly at how we can make sure that young people, wherever they start i whatever education they get, are able to be connected up to great jobs and careers, even having a very tough work market. is your point that we can use this opportunity,

this extraordinary pandemic, to try to reset the system across the board? do you see this as an opportunity in that sense? yes, we should recognise that academic exams. . . should recognise that academic exams... we have a school system with available performance, nearing young people go into exams in different positions, not because of their potential but because of their situations. i know saying that the education system more broadly makes you look beyond is a purely academic lens, which is a very narrow assessment of a young person's potential, and how they can develop those wider gems that they will need if they are going to be successful in the workplace, and then work with employers to make sure that doors are opened. if we are really going to make the difference on a levelling up, then it is going to require not just levelling up, then it is going to require notjust action levelling up, then it is going to require not just action from levelling up, then it is going to require notjust action from the government, but also from businesses, universities— all working in partnership — in the new year collectively to finally start

making sure that we do have equality of opportunity. i think the debate around exams today is important, but i think what it does as much as anything is demonstrate that those inequalities are that all the time. those underlying inequalities might have got worse with covid, but nevertheless we need to tackle those. and you're talking about something really sweeping and really fundamental. i wonder whether you feel there currently is the political will to do the sort of thing is that you're talking about. when you talk about the education situation during the pandemic, for the most part, we have been talking about a digital divide is that was what is dividing kids. the children who got great learning wail know when to schools who got the digital classes up and running, they have fantastic online classes, the children had access to devices to do the work, versus the skills that didn't have those, perhaps that it may have a laptop or broadband and

couldn't take part. you're talking about something far bigger. those inequalities that you have just talked about were there any way. the challenge in education is to reflect on the fact that it really shouldn't ta ke on the fact that it really shouldn't take a crew of a pandemic before we challenge ourselves to say how do we ove rco m e challenge ourselves to say how do we overcome them? if we are going to do that, it will require a level of ambition that i don't think has been there to date, and it will require to look at notjust there to date, and it will require to look at not just what there to date, and it will require to look at notjust what happens in classrooms and what the spec from schools, but also to finally justify a lot of the learning and development of our young people happens outside of school. so if we are happens outside of school. so if we a re really happens outside of school. so if we are really going to have a levelling up are really going to have a levelling up the agenda that makes a difference on the ground, we have to have a full strategy and confront those challenges, and we also have to co nfro nt those challenges, and we also have to confront the reality that a lot of careers and jobs simply aren't open to all young people fairly. so it is not just open to all young people fairly. so it is notjust about developing talent properly in this country for

the first time, is also making sure that whoever you are you have an equal access to opportunities that britain is creating. thank you very much. )there is optimism about the rollout of the pfizer vaccine, beginning next week — but there are also is it safe?, and how will it be is it safe and how will it be delivered, for example. this morning england's deputy chief medical officer, jonathan van—tam, took questions from viewers and listeners during a live broadcast on the bbc news channel and radio 5 live. we haven't had a chance to fully look at all the data that has come out in the article to appraise for ourselves, hence am for ourselves, hence i'm hoping that you can shed a little bit more light. it's about the longevity of the immunity. it's great the mhra passed it, saying it's all safe, but will the two doses be enough? will that confer lifelong immunity, will it be an annual thing like the flu jab? or will it be something

more like the childhood vaccination schedule, where you are going to need several top—up boosters just to get you to that fully vaccinated status? yes, thanks for the question, it's a very important question. the very important answer is that we don't know yet, it's as simple as that. we can't say for certain yet whether we are going to need a flu—like re—vaccination programme. we want to be in the best place to have further vaccines with which to do that if we need to. as you can imagine, we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the vaccine, however given at the speed of the vaccine's development, the fact that we are the only country so far satisfied with its safety, and of course a lot of negative messaging on social media— some of our staff and resident's families have some anxiety about the vaccine being given to themselves or their loved ones. how would you reassure them

that the vaccine is safe for them and our residents, some of whom may be very frail? number one, to tell you plain and straight that i genuinely have said to my 78 year mum, who probably listening now. you know, mum, you must have this vaccine or any of the vaccines at the mhra abuse as soon as they are available. this is really important because you are so available. this is really important because you are so at risk. that is a kind of personal peace, if you like. i'm very confident in the assessment the mhra makes. for are teachers and school staff likely to be proud of ties for the vaccine? if so, what timescale can we expect? there are no occupational groups on the phase one list. if we can get

through the phase one and it is a highly effective vaccine and that is very high uptake, then we could in theory take out 99% of hospitalisations and deaths related to covid—19. but if you were a teacher and you have an art risk condition, you're going to be called in your place in the order in phase one. if you're a teacher who is 58 years of age, you're going to be called and your place in phase one. so is not all or nothing. i've got three children here at home, they we re three children here at home, they were asking this morning about father christmas and wanting to know whether he will be front of the queue to get the vaccine? 0h, absolutely. the jcvi made a very

special case for father christmas, and he is absolutely going to be the top of our list. and you watch the full edition of your questions answered with professor jonathan van—tam on the bbc iplayer. let's talk about the ball out of the vaccine now. —— roll out. we can talk now to professor martin marshall. he's chairman of the royal college of gps. how much that you know at this stage of gps' involvement in this? it's so exciting to have one of the vaccines ready for delivery, general practitioners stand ready to play their part. we know that there is going to be three different ways of delivering the vaccine, one is free to groups of general practices working together. the second one is

through hospitals. the third one is free mass vaccination centres. what we are hearing at the moment it looks like a large proportion of the people being vaccinated will receive their vaccinations through a general practice. we are awaiting instructions as to went the vaccine we can use it will be available and how best to deliver it. wouldn't you say that is pretty much the sum total of what gps as a group are being towed at the moment? that figure and the fact that there are three different ways of getting it? i'm conscious that you beat up and down the country will be fined up and contacted by patients asking if they are doing it. it seems that there is only so much you can tell them at this early stage. there is a limited amount, yes. that is guiding is coming out of nhs guidance, to england about how general practitioners can prepare and how to set up. we have the network of practices working together, we have

buildings identified, were getting our registration systems in place we can call and identify necessary patients. we have the equipment that is prepared and ready for use. at that level, we are prepared for whatever vaccine comes our way. providing specific information for patients, you're absolutely right, our patients are desperate for that kind of information but it simply isn't available at the moment. we do know that there will be a list of priorities, based principally on age. we are prepared for that, so our older patients will receive the vaccine first, that seems right and proper in terms of their risks. there are still things we don't know but we are prepared to respond as soon as we have too. you mentioned older patients will perhaps be at the head of the queue, and that makes sense. i note there has been some debate about, for example, a vital patient with an ethnic

minority background. there are still a debate, as i understand it, whether that might put an individual higher up the list in terms of you comes first. what's your understanding around that? it's an important issue we raise with the secretary of state, the royal couege secretary of state, the royal college of practitioners wrote a letter a few days ago asking this. basically asking if age is the most important criteria for prioritisation, or do we need to consider other art risk factors, such as diabetes or obesity? 0r consider other art risk factors, such as diabetes or obesity? or if they are ethnicity —based,, because we do not people from bame communities are at higher risk of both contracting and dying from covid. so should we give them a higher priority in terms of the covid vaccination? we haven't received an answer from that yet. we do know that age is the most important factor. we are awaiting a response to see if we need to be

proud he is seen on the basis for other criteria as well. for anyone watching, thinking i'm going to front my gp this afternoon and ask what is happening. what is your advice in terms of how people might be contacted and when they might be co nta cted ? be contacted and when they might be contacted? please don't phone up your general practitioner this afternoon, that won't be helpful. there will be information available when the vaccine is ready. at the moment, the pfizer vaccine, the one giving gregor tillery approval, it will be a bit more complicated to deliver through general practice. we are primarily waiting the option of the assed of it is in a car vaccine, which is much more like the flu vaccine we're used to delivering. please hold on, that will be public messaging to allow you to understand how best to access the vaccine when it is available for you. thank you very much, we will speak again

uninsured. facebook says over the coming weeks it will start removing false claims about covid—19 vaccines on its services on facebook and instagram. from march to october, the company removed 12 million items about the virus containing misinformation that it said "could lead to imminent physical harm." claims about the vaccine that will be be removed include falsehoods about its ingredients, safety, efficacy, and side—effects — and the false conspiracy theory that coronavirus vaccines will contain a microchip to control or monitor patients. the supermarket chains sainsbury‘s, asda and aldi have announced they will return hundreds of millions of pounds saved through the government's business rates holiday. tesco and morrisons announced similar plans yesterday.

earlier, our business correspondent, emma simpson, told me what was behind the move. at the start of the pandemic, retail and hospitality were given a business rates holiday for the year to survive. but of course the supermarkets remained open throughout, and they have enjoyed a sales boom, albeit with higher costs. now, just the four big grocers alone, its estimated that they received about £1 in every £6 of business rates relief. in recent weeks, they have been coming under increasing political fire amid concerns that that support could have been better targeted to other bits of retail and hospitality that are still in crisis, especially when some of them have been paying big dividends to shareholders. yesterday, tesco came out and said it would be repaying £585 million in support by the end of the day. morrison said it was doing the same. this morning, sainsbury‘s, aldi and asda, in the last

hour, havejoined in. so, tesco piling on the pressure theere on rivals to follow suit. of course, for the treasury, every little helps. labour leader sir keir starmer has denied any divisions within his party over supporting a brexit deal, saying labour is "absolutely united." asked directly if his party would back any deal, sir keir said his party would consider the detail closely, but emphasised the importance of the prime minister's negotiating team actually securing a deal. we'll have a look at that deal as soon as we see it and make our decision then. but i can't emphasise enough how a deal is in the national interest. we are a united party, pulling forward, focusing on the future. that's the way we have been operating for the last eight or nine months since i've been leader of this party. the house of lords conduct

committee has recommended that the independent unionist, lord maginnis, is suspended for at least 18 months. the peer was accused of verbally abusing security staff in parliament and using homophobic language about mps. nicola sturgeon has said that care homes will not necessarily get the pfizer coronavirus vaccine when scotland's vaccination programme starts next tuesday. speaking at first minister's questions, she said it was because of the difficulties of transporting the virus to individual locations while keeping it at an ultra—low temperature. the government is responsible for the vaccine deployment programme, and as i said a moment ago, the buck for that, the buck for everything in the scottish government, ultimately stops with me. obviously, and this isjust a statement of the obvious, we are not in control of which vaccines get authorised

first, or what the properties and characteristics of those vaccines are. that isjust a limitation and constraint, that notjust the scottish government, but the uk government, the welsh and northern irish governments, are working with as well. but we are solutions—focused, i referred earlier on in the session to discussions that are ongoing between my officials and the mhra to look at how we get this vaccine from the deployment centres and the ultralow temperature fridges they have got to be stored in to the care homes where they are needed. i cannot say definitively right now when exactly that will happen, but i am reasonably confident that we will find a way of doing that. even if that is not immediate, as of next tuesday, when the programme starts, that will be i hope sooner, much sooner, rather than later. so there is a real focus on this, and as i say, it is something that all four governments across the uk are very keen to see a resolution to as quickly as possible.

let's try to give you something of an update on that explosion at avonmouth, near bristol, this afternoon. we are still time to get clearer details. we do not bristol city council has confirmed that the explosion has happened at a recycling plant belonging to a wessex water. you can see the tweet there. an explosion. we do not fire and rescue and ambulance have been at the scene now for some time. a spokesman for the fire service said that they were called to an explosion at 11.22 this morning, so this has been going on for some time. what really seems to be unclear is whether anybody has been hit. we hope no one has been hurt, but we do know that a lot of ambulances as well as fire engines

have been seen at the side. so there is some concern about not a lot of information. we are still trying to get a lot more details on this. essentially, the local fire and ambulance service confirming that they are vehicles and teams are still very much at the scene. the pa agency had been talking about casualties, but that is as much as we know. we are keeping an eye on that, the emergency services still at the scene at avonmouth near bristol. i hope we will have more on that after three o'clock. right now, we will take a look at the weather. it's been a cold day, the wettest weather across england and wales. tonight, that wet weather produce more into the eastern side of england and scotland, then it turns into snow in scotland, across the

pennines, some which are weather running into the south of england and east anglia. widespread frost for scotland and northern ireland, some icy conditions here. snow in scotla nd some icy conditions here. snow in scotland could bring some travel disruption early on, snow will tend to turn to rain. the rain clears the south—east of england come up across east anglia, into northern england. that could be some sleet and snow developing cross the pennines, but it should dry across the midlands by afternoon. a cold day, and feeling colder because the winds will be stronger as well. the winds can down at the weekend, dry for most on sunday, still cold.

this is bbc news. i'm jane hill. the headlines: the bbc understands that some of the initial delivery of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being brought to the uk today, via eurotunnel. scotland's first minister and england's deputy chief medical officer says every effort will be made to get the vaccine into care homes as soon as possible. the top priority that the jcvi has identified are care homes for older people, and also the workers in care homes. the reason for that is the death toll in care homes has been awful. there has been a large explosion in a warehouse at avonmouth near bristol — police say there have been "multiple casualties".

students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next year will be graded more generously, to try to compensate for lost learning during the pandemic. the christmas getaway begins for university students — but they are encouraged to get themselves tested and reduce social contact before they start travelling. hello, good afternoon. the first doses of the pfizer—biontech covid—19 will arrive in britain very soon. a mass vaccination programme will begin next week after the uk became the first country in the world to approve the jab yesterday. data released last month shows this vaccine offers 95 % protection

against covid—19 across all age groups, and any side effects are mild. the uk has 40 million doses on order — that's enough for 20 million people. 800,000 of those are already on their way here. it will be given as two injections — three weeks apart. immunity begins after the first dose, but reaches maximum protection one week after the second dose. the vaccine has to be stored at —70 degrees celsius. because hospitals already have the facilities for this, the first vaccinations are likely to take place there — for care home workers, nhs staff and patients. although the pfizer vaccine is the first to be given the green light — two others are also currently being reviewed by the uk regulator and could be approved soon. but england's deputy chief medical 0fficer jonathan van—tam has warned that there will be no immediate return to normal life,

saying ‘we have to take it really carefully.‘ anna collinson reports. it is the day after what has been called a day to remember. the uk has now approved its first coronavirus vaccine. now the next challenge is getting it to patients. the pfizer and biontechjap needs to be transported from belgium and the bbc understand some of the initial delivery will travel via the eurotunnel today. there is a technical issue related to the pfizer vaccine that we currently expect to receive very shortly in the uk, and i do mean hours not days. there is a technical issue related to the cold storage. age is by far the biggest risk factor when it comes to coronavirus, so older age groups were to be prioritised. but as priority meets reality, there has been some trade off. the pfizer vaccine has to be kept at very low temperatures.

when the first doses arrive, they will be sent to hospitals who have the ultracold facilities to store it. roll out is due to happen across the uk next week. from blackpool to brighton, people will initially need to go to the vaccine rather than the vaccine come to them. the focus will be nhs staff, care home workers and older hospital patients. this change is a concern for those who thought they were first in line, people who live in care homes. i suspect that the majority... the vast majority of care home workers will not get the vaccine until next year, and i would be very surprised if many people in care homes get it at all this year. we are told all efforts are being made to get the pfizer vaccine into care homes, but some of the most vulnerable may need to wait for another one to be approved which is easier to store and move around. we made clear recommendations that vaccine supply and transport issue may interrupt the exact priority order by which people

get the vaccine. but rest assured, we are going to make sure that those care home staff are immunised, which will give these elderly people protection. and as soon as feasible, we would expect those residents to be immunised. it is hoped the oxford vaccine could be approved before christmas, but caution is still needed over the festive period. the first to receive the pfizer vaccine will not be fully protected until january. and even then, complete protection cannot be guaranteed. as the uk approaches another grim milestone of 60,000 coronavirus deaths, the message is there is still a way to go. anna collinson, bbc news. we will just we willjust move away from coronavirus for a few moments because we want to give you an update as much as we can about that explosion near bristol this morning. we arejust explosion near bristol this morning.

we are just hearing that avon and somerset police have declared a major incident. that is what the police force is saying, following what they are calling a large explosion in avonmouth. the police forces a n explosion in avonmouth. the police forces an explosion is believed to have occurred involving one of the chemical tanks at wessex water is, bristol water recycling centre. we do know that the fire service, the police and ambulance service were called at around about 11:20am. all the emergency services are still at the emergency services are still at the scene, and in fact police chief inspector says officers remain at the scene and they are likely to be there for some time. avon and somerset police declaring a major incident following an explosion this morning at a site near mac one just outside —— near avonmouth just outside —— near avonmouth just

outside bristol. a court and is in force around the site as you might expect. these are the latest images we have from the scene. there is a chording up, and perhaps not surprisingly members of the public are being asked to avoid the area to allow the emergency services to get on with their work. please avoid the area is the message to the public. let's just hear a little from one eyewitness who was working nearby. in fact, we havejust had eyewitness who was working nearby. in fact, we have just had these comments and from kieranjenkins who was working not too far away when the explosion happened. at 11:20am, something like that. explosion, and i was inside the warehouse, the whole warehouse was shaking. we literally stood there in shock because we thought everything was going to fall, and then people started to come out from the warehouse over there, started coming out saying, look over there. next thing we know, we look out and all we seen was people running and, yeah, it was just like, we did not know what had happened. no one knew what happened and it was a bit of a shock, really. clearly some sort of very large explosion. yeah, yeah.

yeah, fingers crossed no one is hurt and hopefully everything is all right. you didn't hear anything? i heard a bang. literally, when i was inside the warehouse with my colleague, next thing you know, the whole warehouse as she can, we were just stood there in shock because everything was shaking. we did not know what was going on. everything is all metal in there, if something falls on us, do you know what i mean? so, yeah. so, you heard a big bang, you haven't seen anything? no, i didn't see nothing. all i heard was a big bang and the whole warehouse was shaking. the ground was vibrating, everything. kieranjenkins kieran jenkins who works kieranjenkins who works nearby. as you heard, that loud explosion at around about 11:20am. just to reiterate, avon and somerset police saying this is a major incident. a major incident has been declared in that area following that large explosion. of course we hope nobody has been hurt, but we are still

trying to get answers on that and clarity. there is still a lot of information to come through, to be honest with you. he caught and is around the area and members of the public are being urged not to get anywhere near that area. we do know that avon and somerset police say officers remain at the scene and they are likely to be there for some time. so, that is the latest from avonmouth near bristol. we will, i hope, bring you more details. we hope, bring you more details. we hope to talk to our correspondence they are in the next little while. the time right now is nine minutes past three. we will return to the story that has dominated here today. the coronavirus vaccine, specifically the visor vaccine because we know that —— the pfizer vaccine. it is being transported with eurotunnel, and that is on its way to the uk. let's discuss the

vaccine and the potential and what might be happening in the coming weeks and months. let's get more on this now with professor david heymann, from the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine. good afternoon. good afternoon. your thoughts about what seems to be getting rather closer to the beginning of some sort of vaccine roll—out. beginning of some sort of vaccine roll-out. a vaccine will certainly make a difference in how this pandemic is being dealt with. it is of course not the final solution. the final solution will be a series of different goods in that war chest. some therapeutic agents that can cu re chest. some therapeutic agents that can cure people who get infected and it will also be some better diagnostic tests. but a vaccine is certainly crucial in that war chest of how we deal with the pandemic. certainly crucial in that war chest of how we deal with the pandemicm is crucial, but it is one element, is crucial, but it is one element, is it? would you argue that we still need to remember the public health messaging that we have been adopting or most of us have, we hope, since

march? absolutely. this infection looks, to most people, like this becoming endemic, which means it will remain with us for quite awhile. there will be people who will not be vaccinated, either because they cannot access the vaccine or because they do not want to be vaccinated, and we have to make sure that we continue other measures that will protect them and protect ourselves. we do not know the length of immunity from this vaccine, we do not really understand whether it only prevents serious disease in those who are infected or if it actually prevents infection. something very important to understand from a public health point of view. that is so interesting. 0bviously today we are talking about the pfizer vaccine because that is the one that is en route to the uk right now. do we still don't like how much do we know? how much do we know about what it is actually doing? 0nce someone has had the jab, two doses, does it just mean that if they come into

contact with a virus, they simply will not be as sick? what does it mean? what the studies were doing was looking to see if they could prevent illness, not infection. there will be information that becomes available as the publications come out from the studies, which will tell us exactly what the vaccines are doing. at present, that is not really clearly understood. again, how long will it whatever this immune response is be able to be maintained in humans is another question. there are many questions to be answered, but we are just relieved all of us that there isa just relieved all of us that there is a vaccine which can prevent illness. right, so it makes life, one hopes, slightly easier. would you say we are still a very long way from, for example, being able to pack into a sports stadium in our tens of thousands, is actually still a very long way off? i think it might be longer than we wish. i

cannot predict how long. what has been remarkable is the vaccine development that has gone on and the many different vaccines that are available now to be regulated and then used. hopefully that, along with antibodies, which can treat people who become infected if given early enough, and a whole series of other things will make our life different. but it is not going to be the final solution. a vaccine is just one of many solutions. 0ne the final solution. a vaccine is just one of many solutions. one of those solutions, of course, is to understand where people are getting infected and make sure that those areas are cleaned up or shut down. is always interesting to talk to you. thank you for your time. he led the global response to the sars pandemic. in terms of the vaccine in terms of i facebook says over the coming weeks it will start removing false claims about covid—19 vaccines on its services on facebook and instagram.

from march to october, the company removed 12 million items about the virus containing misinformation that it said "could lead to imminent physical harm." claims about the vaccine that will be be removed include falsehoods about its ingredients, safety, efficacy, and side—effects , and the false conspiracy theory that coronavirus vaccines will contain a microchip to control or monitor patients. the proportion of people being contacted by the test and trace programme in england has increased — after contact tracers stopped trying to reach all under—18s individually. now a parent or guardian in the household confirms that the child has been asked to self—isolate. 72% of people who had been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus were told to self—isolate in the week ending november 25th. that compares with 60% the previous week. students sitting a—levels and gcses

in england next summer will get advance notice of some topics in the exams, and will be graded more generously. the education secretary gavin williamson says the changes will compensate for the disruption to teaching caused by the coronavirus pandemic. labour says it's worried that the pupils who missed the most lessons, will still lose out. 0ur education editor bra nwen jeffreys reports. heading home to self—isolate, year 11 at the secondary school. just before it was confirmed, some shared their gcse fears with me. i have a lot of worries about gcses because i really feel like there is not much being done about the amount of time we missed. i prefer to be in the school to learn, so the disruption to that isjust going to really knock my focus off my education. i know that students and teachers are making an enormous effort to catch up with any lost learning. to support those most affected by the continuing disruption,

at the end ofjanuary students are going to be given advance notice of some of the topic areas that will be assessed in their gcses and a—levels. so, with narrowing down the topics in each subject help? i think that will be the most beneficial thing, one of the most beneficial things that they can do, because it really, like, gives you that tiny bit of hope that we need at this time. how will gcse and a—level exams work in 2021? grades will be more generous than normal, mainly in line with 2020. advance warning of some topics will be given, but not the questions. some study aids will be allowed — that could be a formula or a vocabulary list. and special measures will be used to work out grades for an exam missed. after a term of covid disruption, the does give schools a bit more certainty, but they are going to have to wait until january to find

out what topics will be in which exam papers. and there is still one big unanswered question — how do you take account of the fact that some kids have missed so much more learning than others? so, an expert group will look at that bigger picture, but grades are not likely to be adjusted. and here they are worried about disruption after christmas. if we stick to the plan and the continued disruption across the country happens right through until, whether it is march, april, i think we are going to have a massive impact on the well—being of younger people and families, and we are going to see a very unfair system and probably a return to the debacle of last summer. northern ireland also plans to hold exams, but in wales, they have been cancelled. whilst scotland only plans to have exams for highers. schools are still dealing with coronavirus. faith in these plans will be tested in the next few months.

branwen jeffreys, bbc news. let's go straight to the scene at that explosion near avonmouth this morning. information has been coming out slowly. explain what happened as you understand it. the precise details of what happened there are still unclear, but what we know is that at about 11:20am, people around here, this is an industrial estate to the west of bristol, heard what has been described by police and the fire service as a very loud explosion. we are not sure exactly what has happened, but it would from here appear to be that chemical tank ata here appear to be that chemical tank at a wessex water treatment works on this industrial estate. you can see the damage. it looks like it has

been ripped at the top. some sort of incident has happened there. that seems to be the focus at the moment. in terms of people and what has happened, we are told by the police and fire service that we should expect news of multiple casualties. unclear what that means. we know that an unclear what that means. we know thatan airambulance unclear what that means. we know that an air ambulance left earjust a few minutes after the incident. it came in and left very quickly. we have seen ambulances here. the fire brigade are still here in force. the road that runs alongside the service, normally very busy because it is right next to a recycling centre, people from the city of bristol bring their stuff to the dump they are to be recycled, it has obviously had to be closed today. that road instead is being used by many emergency vehicles. some have left in the last half an hour, but i've also seen some big lighting rigs, big lighting equipment that has been brought in, suggesting that it could be getting dark in the next hour, that work of some sort, may be a search of some sort could be set

to continue for some time here. a search of some sort could be set to continue for some time harem is of course alarming when you see a chemical plant. do we know anything about the chemicals? how dangerous... is anyone saying anything about that? we are told it isa anything about that? we are told it is a water treatment centre works, which is owned and operated by wessex water. they are a very big company here in this part of the west country. it opens every year to the public for demonstrations as pa rt the public for demonstrations as part ofan the public for demonstrations as part of an open door sting. you can go in and have a look at what happens around here. i know there has been some kind of bioscience work that has been going on around here in recent months and years. trying to develop new technology with recycling water and gases from water. that could well be part of the investigation that has been lodged. we do not know exactly what has happened, but clearly for people around here, mainly working people, not a very residential area, lots of

factories in the surrounding area and lots of people told us that they came running from their warehouses. there is a big arm is on depot nearby. 0ne there is a big arm is on depot nearby. one guy told me he had run out from work and got down here and try to help if he could. he called for the fire brigade and for the police to come down here. fire response vehicles have come from six different stations right across the city of bristol to be here. that gives you a sense of the skill we are talking about. because of that big recycling centre, which isjust opposite the water treatment works, a lot of guys who were working inside, lorry drivers, delivery drivers, they have had to stay put, they are not allowed out. they are essentially trapped in there waiting for news when they will be able to leave. i was speaking to one of them inafew leave. i was speaking to one of them in a few minutes ago. he said, look, it is massively frustrating but all of our thoughts are with the families and loved ones or people who have been caught up inside the treatment works itself. they were very close. they had this huge explosion which they said was absolutely terrifying. but they know

that they are now at least safe. thank you very much for now. at the site in avonmouth near bristol. still more details to emerge so we will keep an eye on that explosion that happened this morning. there we will just talk that happened this morning. there we willjust talk a that happened this morning. there we will just talk a little that happened this morning. there we willjust talk a little bit that happened this morning. there we will just talk a little bit about a bit of business news. customers at topshop and other arcadia brands will only be able to use gift cards for half their purchases, the company has said, after collapsing into administration on monday. it means someone with a £10 voucher must spend at least £20 to redeem it in full. our business presenter sima kotecha joins us now. it could be an awful lot of people out there with these gift cards so

tell us more. there is a lot of anger and frustration, we have seen that on social media, heard it on the high street. let's rewind back to monday, that is when arcadia went into administration. as you say, it owned brands like topshop, burton, dorothy perkins. that was bad news for them and consumers yesterday discovered that those brands were not taking their gift cards. they we re not taking their gift cards. they were not being used online, not being able to be used in stores. the good news is that arcadia has come out and said that was down to a technical glitch. the bad news is, as you explained, they are only taking half of the value of the good from the gift card. if something is £20 and the gift card is worth £20, they will only take £10 from the gift card and you will have to pay the remaining £10. any statement that they have just released, they said gift cards remain valid and full across all arcadia brands. the

full across all arcadia brands. the full value of a gift card can be put up full value of a gift card can be put up towards 50% of a purchase. a customer with a £10 gift card would need to spend £20 to use it in full. gift cards are currently being accepted in all stores and customers will be able to use them online from early next week. if you want to use your gift card online, you will have to wait until monday. jane, what is key here is that administrators are not obliged to use gift cards and vouchers. they are not technically doing anything wrong here, but you may recall when hmv went into administration, consumers kicked up administration, consumers kicked up a fuss because they said that the gift cards were now void. that in turn made hmv reverse its decision. we do know that gift cards are worth around £4 billion and many people do buy them to give to people, especially during times like christmas, so the market is worth billions. this is a very popular thing for many to do. there will be

consumers who are, as i said, frustrated and angry with this decision. but arcadia has gone into administration and that does mean that it has some breathing space from creditors while another buyer is looked for. thank you very much. university students in england and wales are starting to go home for christmas from today — although under strict coronavirus rules. it would be far too complicated to go across all the nations because it does vary. however, that is the window that has started today, urging university students to start going home. there are lots of extra czechs and students are being urged to have a covid test before they return to their families. there's also lots we do not know about the new year. suggestions that return to university, which would be in

january, will in fact be staggered and some students will not be going back until february. it is quite complicated, it does vary depending on what part of the uk you are in, but lots of students are starting to have a covid test so that they can go home for christmas. about 2000 tests we are told had been carried out so far. at the university of york — with me now is patrick 0'donnell, president of the university of york students' union and student charlotte clark. hello, good afternoon. welcome to both of you. charlotte, am i right, are you an undergraduate? i have you had a test? i am an undergraduate, i am on my second year at york and i had my first covid test about one hour ago. it was an interesting experience. have you had the result yet? how quick are they?” experience. have you had the result yet? how quick are they? i got my test, i came to the test centre at

about1:50pm andi test, i came to the test centre at about 1:50pm and i have already got my result back. i am thankfully negative. that means i can now go and get my second test before travelling home at the weekend. and get my second test before travelling home at the weekendlj travelling home at the weekend.” have heard they are not a lot of fun. i have not had to have one. yeah. anyway, well done you for having it. do you think it is sensible? you have presumably done this fairly willingly, have you? the university sent out e—mails a couple of weeks ago saying, we are getting this, it is fully optional, but personally i do not see why you would not do it. although we have been a lockdown for four weeks now, i could still have gone to sainsbury‘s or tesco, one of those shops, and caught it from there. why would you not do it? it is given to you for free and it minimises the risk of you bring it home to your family and loved ones. i have quite a considerable way to travel, i have to get trains and planes, so ijust

thought, there are so many opportunities for me to pick it up there, i would opportunities for me to pick it up there, iwould rather opportunities for me to pick it up there, i would rather have peace of mind knowing i definitely do not haveit mind knowing i definitely do not have it leaving here. and then hopefully there will be some form of normality and the family will not be avoiding me all christmas. all families do that at christmas all the time! that's another story altogether! patrick, you ahead of the student union, 2000, is it that have done it so far in your work? what is your thoughts about how it is all working and how people have taken the idea on board? really good u pta ke taken the idea on board? really good uptake from students. 2000 students roughly have ta ken uptake from students. 2000 students roughly have taken the test so far and there is still space for more students to take their test this week. i think it really demonstrates that those students want to look after not only themselves but their families and their communities. they are doing the right thing. there are still questions about a return in january that we still have to confirm exactly when students are coming back, what times they are coming back, what times they are coming back. there are discussions

about rents and when testing will happen injanuary about rents and when testing will happen in january for students. about rents and when testing will happen injanuary for students. that government guidance came out last night, but we have been working really closely with students to try and get to the bottom of that guidance and make sure everything is really clear for students. it is quite confusing at the moment. are you looking for clarity in the sense that when an undergraduate goes back to their parents or whoever for that five—day break that has allowed at christmas, do you think by that point they should know, they should know what to date the can or should return to university? is that the sort of clarity you are looking for? we need clarity as soon as we can. we need clarity as soon as we can. we have been asking for testing ever since the summer before the start of term. really pleased we have the testing in place now. there are still questions and universities working really closely with the students union and talking to students union and talking to students as much as they can to advise on the practical things, what days, courses coming back. different courses will have different start dates depending on whether they are practical and are based or not. but

there are still questions about rents, because of his vision spots will not be in employment if there search term is delayed, so there are questions from a financial perspective and we are still waiting for the government to respond to those sorts of questions. there has been a lot of questions around finance generally for the whole academic year, hasn't there? charlotte, just a quick thought about... everyone listening to your story will understand why you've opted to have the test and it gives you that confidence and that is great, there might be people watching who think, well, that is all very well, but you have outlined that you have quite a journey to get home to wherever you want to go for the christmas period, you could pick it up on that train journey or whatever, and they might say, well, actually there for what is the point in the test? sadly, i am not wishing any ill on you, but you could sit next to someone on the train and get it going home. that is completely understandable. that was one of my thought processes as well. when we we re thought processes as well. when we were told about these tests, i was

like, that is all well and good, but i've got trains and planes and airports to go through. there is a million other people going through it in the festive period, as well, soi it in the festive period, as well, so ijust it in the festive period, as well, so i just thought, it in the festive period, as well, so ijust thought, it is for my own peace of mind really, but i will be wearing might mask the entire time, i sanitise regularly, it is just taking those precautions. i mean, you know, you just have to take precautions where you can and hope for the best. hopefully, precautions where you can and hope forthe best. hopefully, i precautions where you can and hope for the best. hopefully, iwill precautions where you can and hope for the best. hopefully, i will keep a distance from my family members for a couple of days, and i know my grandfather, he has said that he might not come down for christmas because obviously he is classed as at—risk, so it isjust because obviously he is classed as at—risk, so it is just things like that, taking precautions where you can. whenever it is being given to you, you might as well take the chance, because if you do have it, you could be asymptomatic and it could just make everything so much worse by going home and seeing loved ones. it eliminates one of those risks, and if! ones. it eliminates one of those risks, and if i get it on the way back, hopefully i won't, but if i do, hopefully it should not kick in until i start to return to

university or i will quarantine at home, whichever. it isjust so i can no going home that i am safe and i will not infect anyone else. and picking up on patrick's point, what are your thoughts about the return injanuary or are your thoughts about the return in january or february are your thoughts about the return injanuary or february or whenever it might be, and all the financial implications of that? it is a worry. iam implications of that? it is a worry. i am still, at the minute, for me, we have not been told when we are coming back. i have quite a practical course, as well, i do music. hopefully i will be one of the first one is back. due to the nature of my course. hopefully i should be back as normal. it is annoying, obviously, if you are told you cannot come back until mid next term, but i think a lot of students, speaking to my house mates and friends, a lot of us realise that this is extenuating circumstances. the university are trying their ha rd est to the university are trying their hardest to work with us and keep us in the loop. it is literallyjust waiting on the government to release things and any university can put

into place what it needs to. university have tried so hard with us all term to make sure we are doing 0k and that we are fully supported where we can be. i know that they will still do that throughout, and obviously workwise as well, i am quite lucky in that i have been furloughed from myjob, so until the final has now been extended until march 12 that will carry on until march. if i cannot get furloughed until then, so it might bea get furloughed until then, so it might be a different story. but for now, it will all go to plan. i am just not planning to far in the future because things change so rapidly at the minute. very healthy outlook. i am sorry we cannot talk longer because there's so much that is so interesting about the student experience this year. good to talk to you. charlotte clark and patrick 0'donnell at the university of york. thank you very much to both of you.

now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there. it has been a cold day today, the wettest weather has been across england and wales. but it is a bit messy overnight tonight because that wetter weather pushes more towards the eastern side of england, into eastern scotland. and as it moves into the colder air, we are going to find it turning to snow in scotland. some snow over the northern pennines, the cumbrian fells, showers for wales and the south—west. some wetter weather running into the south—east of england and east anglia. a cold night, of course, patchy frost for england and wales, more widespread frost in scotland and northern ireland. some icy conditions here. the snow in scotland could bring some travel disruption early on. snow will tend to turn to rain. it will push down towards northern ireland on stronger winds. the rain clears the south—east of england, up across east anglia, into northern england. could be a bit of sleetiness in there, some snow developing over the pennines, but it should turn drier through the midlands and southern england in the afternoon. perhaps some sunshine, but a cold day and feeling colder because the winds will be stronger as well. over the weekend, it calms down, the winds do tend to drop, gradually it will turn drier.

dry for most on sunday, but still cold. hello, this is bbc news — with jane hill. the headlines: the bbc understands that some of the initial delivery of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being brought to the uk today via eurotunnel. scotland's first minister and england's deputy chief medical officer says every effort will be made to get the vaccine into care homes as soon as possible the top priority that the jcvi has identified are care homes for older people, and also the workers in care homes. the reason for that is the death toll in care homes has been awful. a major incident has been declared following a large explosion at a site in avonmouth near bristol — police say there have been "multiple casualties."

all i heard it was a big bang, then the whole warehouse was shaking. the ground was vibrating, everything. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next year will be graded more generously, to try to compensate for lost learning during the pandemic. the christmas getaway begins for university students — but they are encouraged to get themselves tested and reduce social contact before they start travelling. we are going to ask lots of your questions about vaccines and a little while. before that, we will ta ke little while. before that, we will take a look at the sports news. good afternoon. the premier league and english football league have agreed a rescue deal to protect lower league football clubs from going under amid the coronavirus pandemic.

it follows months of negotiations between the two governing bodies. the total amount available comes in at £250 million. but it is broken down differently between the championship and league one and two. for championship clubs — £200 million of loans will be available, partly secured by the premier league who will also help cover £15 million of interest. while for league one and two — there is the option of grants totally $50 million. the efl chairman first elected to go into this in april when he spoke to a plug to a select committee, and the stock has been ongoing for some considerable time. dcms thought one of the stipulations that would allow the premier league and football tourism after lockdown injune was that they would pay this money over to the efl in order to sustain the

game ata to the efl in order to sustain the game at a progression out level. but the deal has taken a long time to negotiate, it has a look for a while as though it wasn't going to be done. it is done now, but the issue is that it's a loan not a giveaway and this money has to be paid back. championjockey 0isin murphy has spoken for the first time since being banned for testing positive for cocaine. he's serving a three—month ban, and says that investigators accepted that he hadn't taken the drug. in this exclusive interview with our sports news laura scott, he says he will "have to live with the consequences" of not removing himself from the situation. this is the champion flatjockey, winner of this year's guineas. but he has been hit with a ban for

cocaine, he maintains that he never took the drug, and he told me how it got in his system. i became aware of a situation where cocaine was present in my environment, i saw it there. i didn't remove myself from that situation immediately. when you sign for yourjockey‘s license every year, you have got to abide by the rules, and that was my error. it is very hard to pinpoint exactly how it was transmitted, but it was, and that is obvious and clear. murphy's defence case reference a sexual encounter as being the cause of environmental contamination. what do you say to people who doubt your story? well, it's impossible to doubt if you read the report. a hair sample doubt if you read the report. a hair sa m ple covers doubt if you read the report. a hair sample covers a 3 month period, and that concludes i was subjected to a

dose of a maximum of 5 mg, but it proves that i did not knowingly take any amount of cocaine. so, yeah, it's there in black and white. murphy isn't the first to have broken cocaine reels, joining frankie dettori and kieren fallon on the list. having established himself at the top of the sport, he acknowledges this has caused significant reputational damage and he must make changes to his personal life. do you feel regret at what has happened? sure, sure. this is going to go down on my cv, nobody is going to go down on my cv, nobody is going to forget about this overnight. i have reject myself as a good ambassadorfor the have reject myself as a good ambassador for the spot, but clearly ambassador for the spot, but clearly a good ambassador does not fail a drug test, no matter how minimum that quantity is. the charity work will fill the void during this break from the spot, and they will also be time for reflection. for so long, he sought to be a role model, but on this occasion he doesn't want anyone

to follow in his footsteps. that's all the sport for now. i'll have more for you in the next hour. now on bbc news, it is time for your questions answered. we are talking about the coronavirus vaccine, and we have had a huge number of questions in about that. to answer your questions on the topic, we'rejoined by dr bharat pankhania, expert in communicable disease control and outbreak at university of exeter medical school. and markjit, professor of vaccine epidemiology at the london school of hygeine and tropical medicine. lovely to have you both here. let's dive right in.

mark asks, if someone has or had covid, do they still need the vaccine? when we are immunising, for example, with an nr, we don't look at what the previous vaccine history is. so, thinking empirically, i would say is a lot easier, a lot better, a lot smarter to say have the vaccine. at best, it may give you an immune booster. this vaccine has been tried in people who have already had the infection. i would say the same, we are not sure. we do know that it is safe to give the vaccine to someone who has had the vaccine some time ago, because there were people involved in the trials, but we don't have enough data from the trial is to say weather they get any extra protection or not. sol to say weather they get any extra protection or not. so i would say you don't need to be tested before

you don't need to be tested before you get the vaccine, it will be safe, but we don't know whether the vaccine will give you any benefit or not. that's interesting, i'll stay with you with and the next question. we are talking a lot today about pfizer and the fact you need two doses. this question asks: if people are given the two pfizer, biontech vaccines and then it is discovered that further booster vaccines are necessary at a later date, or there is a problem with the pfizer vaccine, can alternative vaccines, for example, the moderna vaccine be given to the same people? these are very real questions, but is too early to answer them i'm afraid. we don't know if any booster doses are needed, we don't know what the next life seems to be license will be. definitely, we haven't had any trials or a data showing what might happen if to people get vaccines of the different type. at the moment, we just out now.”

vaccines of the different type. at the moment, wejust out now. i feel it's better to stick to the same platform. in other words, it's better to stick to the same platform. in otherwords, pfizer, moderna or astrazeneca. if you really having got a choice, then i would say stick to the same platform. if you started off with the nn ira vaccine, stick to the same vaccine. if you had a astrazeneca type, stick to that platform. with the patient now which one they were given? could they ask? it isa one they were given? could they ask? it is a very important that going forward we make good notes of all the people that are getting the vaccine and follow them up. and which one they were given. it should be custom and practice that we recorded very well at what they were given and which a batch, etc. we are still learning, i suppose, given and which a batch, etc. we are still learning, isuppose, aren't we? paul asks:

if i am vaccinated with the covid—19 vaccination, am i completely free of covid—19, or can i still be a carrier but not have the symptoms? this is a good concept and it is good to share it with our viewers. vaccine might give you a very good protection and never make you have a mild illness, so that would be one ordered. the second order would be it gives you protection against severe illness, but may give you a mild illness. when you have that man illness, you may be infectious to other people. therefore, it takes me to the third line, which is after you have been immunise it is still important to maintain good infection control practice. we don't know if a such good protection that you don't need any more mask wearing etc, or does it give you illness? therefore,

have the vaccine and have the infection control measures as well. i would agree with that. again, i will say that we don't know for sure. there were some reports from the astrazeneca trial that they saw a reduction in asymptomatic infection, people who didn't have any symptoms. until we see all the data, we can't really say for sure. sol data, we can't really say for sure. so i would recommend that people who are vaccinated still do their best to avoid transmitting to other people, like wearing masks in public for instance. a quick one about people with underlying health conditions. is there evidence during the trials of these vaccines, that they've been tested on individuals with underlying health issues?

indeed they have. for many conditions, they have found to be safe and work well. for instance, in the pfizer trials, the vaccine was used in people with asthma, copd, diabetes, hypertension— and it worked well in all these people. i can't say exhaustively in every single condition the vaccine has been trialled, so the best if you have a particular condition is to seek clinical advice. generally, these vaccine seem to work in people with underlying health issues. this question comes from nepal. how long does the immunity last after vaccination? namaste to our listeners in nepal.

we think it provides protection for some time, how long that time is we don't know. i assume it will be at least minimum a few months. going onto natural history. of the many millions people now who have been infected this year, we don't see them with recurrent infections. therefore my summation would be, actually, sars covid two is producing immunity, we just actually, sars covid two is producing immunity, wejust don't know how many years worth, but we think it is definitely producing immunity. a question has come through from margaret. a simple is this true question. i've been informed that after receiving the pfizer vaccine, you must stay inside for one month as you are very susceptible to covid. is this true? no, it is not true. the information is that you're not fully immune

seven days after your second doze. but that doesn't mean that the immunisation have made use a cce pta ble immunisation have made use acceptable to other infections or drop your immune system. so you carry on as normal, you carry on with infection control, but otherwise don't worry, don't panic. a question here from grace. what are the side affects and are they different depending on age? from the vaccine trials that have been reported so far, these vaccines have been shown to be safe in the trials. they were that has been formally assessed by the mhra has been the pfizer vaccine, so that lochs with every vaccine, people do get some minor adverse effects, things such as pain at the injection site, or fatigue or a headache. things such as pain at the injection site, orfatigue ora headache. but this is usually mild and close up

after one or two days, that happens with many vaccines. they have been no reports of serious adverse effects in the vaccines compared to the people who didn't get the vaccine. will breastfeeding women be able to get the covid vaccine? as farasl as far as i know, this is not included and the trial, they did not vaccinate breast—feeding women. i think the safest thing right now it would be to wait for more data on that before anyone who is breast—feeding receives the vaccine. ido breast—feeding receives the vaccine. i do think this is data that we do need because we want to protect breast—feeding mothers too, but i think it his best to wait for that data at the moment. the mhra advice is no two breast—feeding mothers. similarly, 92 pregnant mothers and

no votes if you're contemplating pregnancy, you need to wait two months after you have been immunise. so, you need to breast—feeding, no two pregnant mothers and need to if you're planning to get pregnant. this one asks why is there such a range on the oxford efficacy figures compared to the others? because of the way that the oxford trials were conducted, they were more of a patchwork series of trials and experiments, computer one big huge experiment conducted by the pfizer biontech group in a shot. this one is about the flu jab. steve

asks, i'm due to have a flu jab but should i wait until to have the covid jab? again, i have to say we don't know because this wasn't litter in the trials. the mhra is recommending at least 14 days wait between the ——. so if you have the cuba job, which at least two weeks until you get your flu jab. my advice is go and get your seasonal influenza vaccine. by get your seasonal influenza vaccine. by the time the covid—19 vaccine is out there and you're going to get immunise, it will be more than two weeks anyway. the first thing you can do is get your seasonal influenza vaccine. good advice. excellent to speak to both of you, really lovely to have you with us.

thank you. finally this lunchtime, would you move to live somewhere you've never visited? that's what one couple from bristol have done. alex mumford and buffy cracknell were among hundreds of people who applied to live and work on the isle of rum, 30 miles off the west coast of scotland, after seeing an advert asking for new residents. with the winter cold and the nights drawing in, the couple arrived this week. both of us have always enjoyed being kind of in the middle of nowhere or in the countryside, but when we went away to new zealand last year, we knew that it was something we wanted to do long—term. we didn't know specifically where, but when this came up, we knew it was something we'd both really enjoy. so the area that we live in at the moment is bristol. yeah, we walk, there is a parkjust

close by where we get our... walks in. 0ur nature fix! it's just a small flat in a block of flats. we'd seen it on the telly and in pictures and that's as far as we went. we googled it an awful lot. here is our van, all packed and ready to go. took part of the day yesterday and a few more hours and part of the afternoon this morning but we are on our way, to the isle of rum! the main thing from the first night i think was the fact that we were pretty chilly. yeah! i think so. it was also pouring with rain, i think it must have done 24 hours of rain. and bristol is a pretty rainy place but this is different, yeah! being able to walk outside the door and go for a walk within a scenic area rather than having to get ina car. i think life is too short to hold back and say, "i'm not sure if i can do it,

i'm not sure if it's right for me." i just think, take the step and just go for it like we have and if it doesn't work, we will do something else. we have got each other, we have got family and friends so i thinkjust take a step and i think if you put hard work into it and put yourself wholeheartedly behind it, i think you'll be all right on the other side. that takes has a very nicely into the weather prospects. hello there. it's been a cold day today, and we have got some wintry mix of weather to come tonight and tomorrow, with some snow likely over some of the hills. this cloud has brought a cold, cloudy, miserable wet day for england and wales. we have had some sunshine away from those shower clouds in scotland and northern ireland. it's a bit messy overnight, but the wetter weather transfers more towards eastern parts of england, pushing into eastern scotland. as that moves inland into the cold and icy weather, snow will be falling widely in scotland for a while. some snow over the tops

of the northern pennines and into the cumbrian fells. some showers in wales and the south—west, rain threatening the south—east of england and east anglia. it will be cold, patchy frost for england and wales, more widespread for scotland and northern ireland. icy and snowy in the morning in scotland, that could lead to some travel disruption early in the day, particularly over the higher level routes. we will briefly get some snow to lower levels, but that will then turn to rain. for much of the country, the snow will turn into rain through the morning, and then push its way down into northern ireland on strengthening winds. rain clearing the south—east, across east anglia, heading into northern england. there could be a bit of sleet in there. some snow developing over the pennines, but for the midlands, towards southern england, friday afternoon looks generally dry with some sunshine. a cold day again, feeling colder because the winds will be stronger, especially around coastal areas. stronger winds around that area of low pressure that's bringing the wet weather during friday. over the weekend, the centre

of the low drift down towards france, taking away most of that wet weather and the winds will be dropping as well. so it comes down through this weekend, gradually turning drier, so it calms down through this weekend, gradually turning drier, but we are still in that cold air. we have still got some wetter weather around on the saturday, maybe a bit of sleet and snow over the peak district, the welsh hills and the mountains in scotland as we see some wetter weather coming in across the eastern side of the country. elsewhere is generally dry, a bit of sunshine around, still cold air. the winds gradually easing through the day and continuing to drop overnight. with some clear skies, it could turn frosty and foggy in some parts of the country early on sunday morning. once that frost and fog forms, it could take much of the morning to lift. there is very little rain around by sunday, most places are going to have a dry day. outside of that mist and fog, some sunshine coming through. lighter winds, but it still doesn't feel much warmer — temperatures still stuck at around 5 to 7 celsius.

this is bbc news. the headlines. the bbc understands that some of the initial delivery of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being brought to the uk today, via eurotunnel. scotland's first minister and england's deputy chief medical officer says every effort will be made to get the vaccine into care homes as soon as possible. the top priority that the jcvi has identified are care homes for older people, and also the workers in care homes. the reason for that is the death toll in care homes has been awful. a major incident is declared following a large explosion at a site in avonmouth near bristol — police say there have been multiple casualties.

all i heard was a big bang and the whole warehouse was shaking. like, the ground was vibrating, everything. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next year will be graded more generously, to try to compensate for lost learning during the pandemic. the christmas getaway begins for university students — but they are encouraged to get themselves tested and reduce social contact before they travel. the premier league have agreed a £250 million rescue package for lower league clubs in england to stop them from going out of business due to the pandemic. and coming up in half an hour here on bbc news, vaccines explained — a programme that will answer how safe the new vaccines are and how you can get hold of a coronavirus vaccine.

hello, good afternoon. the first doses of the pfizer—biontech covid—19 vaccine will arrive in britain very soon. a mass vaccination programme will begin next week after the uk became the first country in the world to approve the jab yesterday. data released last month shows this vaccine offers 95% protection against covid—19 across all age groups, and any side—effects are mild. the uk has 40 million doses on order — that's enough for 20 million people. 800,000 of those are already on their way here. it will be given as two injections — three weeks apart. immunity begins after the first dose, but reaches maximum protection one week after the second dose. the vaccine has to be stored at minus 70 degrees celsius. because hospitals already have the facilities for this, the first vaccinations are likely to take place there — for care home workers,

nhs staff and patients. although the pfizer vaccine is the first to be given the green light — two others are also currently being reviewed by the uk regulator and could be approved soon. but england's deputy chief medical 0fficerjonathan van—tam has warned that there will be no immediate return to normal life, saying "we have to take it really ca refully". anna collinson reports. it is the day after what has been called a day to remember. the uk has now approved its first coronavirus vaccine. now the next challenge is getting it to patients. the pfizer and biontech jab needs to be transported from belgium and the bbc understand some of the initial delivery will travel via the eurotunnel today. there is a technical issue related to the pfizer vaccine that we currently expect to receive very shortly in the uk, and i do mean hours not days. there is a technical issue related to the cold storage.

age is by far the biggest risk factor when it comes to coronavirus, so older age groups were to be prioritised. but as priority meets reality, there has been some trade off. the pfizer vaccine has to be kept at very low temperatures. when the first doses arrive, they will be sent to hospitals who have the ultracold facilities to store it. roll out is due to happen across the uk next week. from blackpool to brighton, people will initially need to go to the vaccine rather than the vaccine come to them. the focus will be nhs staff, care home workers and older hospital patients. this change is a concern for those who thought they were first in line, people who live in care homes. i suspect that the majority... the vast majority of care home workers will not get the vaccine until next year, and i would be very surprised if many people in care homes get it at all this year. we are told all efforts are being made to get the pfizer vaccine into care homes,

but some of the most vulnerable may need to wait for another one to be approved which is easier to store and move around. we made clear recommendations that vaccine supply and transport issue may interrupt the exact priority order by which people get the vaccine. but rest assured, we are going to make sure that those care home staff are immunised, which will give these elderly people protection. and as soon as feasible, we would expect those residents to be immunised. it is hoped the oxford vaccine could be approved before christmas, but caution is still needed over the festive period. the first to receive the pfizer vaccine will not be fully protected until january. and even then, complete protection cannot be guaranteed. as the uk approaches another grim milestone of 60,000 coronavirus deaths, the message is there is still a way to go. anna collinson, bbc news. as we've heard, the first cossignment of the pfizer vaccine

is on its way from belgium. 0ur correspondent in brussels nick beake has more. we believe the first batches of the pfizer vaccine will be taken through the eurotunnel today — that is to say from calais in northern france and emerging in folkestone in kent. they are packing it up in the pfizer factory, about 45 minutes north of where i'm talking to you from today. we were there yesterday and saw the lorries rolling out. worth stressing, i think, that although pfizer and biontech, the company behind this vaccine, wanted to shout from the rooftops about what they have created, as you can imagine, they are much less keen to give a running commentary of the travel movements of what is extremely precious cargo. but it does seem good news that it is on the way. shane brennan, chief executive of the uk cold chain federation, which is the trade body representing the temperature controlled storage and distribution industry.

we heard from the deputy chief medical officer it is a matter of hours not days before this vaccine comes, butjonathan van tam talked about the technical issue due to cold storage. describe for us the challenges around having to distribute and then store something like this vaccine. that is right, this vaccine requires —17 which is not a normal temperature we operate out. most of the infrastructure in the uk operates at —20, or fridge level. this is super cold. there are warehouses and vehicles, and these are packages packed with dry ice moving the product from point to point. when you talk about cold chain it is keeping the product cold

right the way through the journey. that is crucial. i don't have major concerns about the technical issues involved in moving the product or holding it in a storage box, the issues are how you handle it when you take it out of the box and how we use it at the end because it has to be kept, the integrity, from the beginning to use with the patient. does it have to be kept at —70 just before its use or at a higher temperature? my understanding is onceit temperature? my understanding is once it has been moved to the place where it will be administered it is put into an ordinary fridge to defrost to a temperature it can be administered. that last bit, taking it out of the box, defrosting it and using it, is probably the critical point in the supply chain and we rely on nhs professionals to do that job effectively and i'm sure they will. how costly is it to be able to

maintaina will. how costly is it to be able to maintain a cold chain? it is not a typical cold chain, so it will have additional costs. it is a massive courier service and there are a lot of economies of scale. the professionals talk about that they hope is there will be other vaccines operating in the plus temperature range. i think most of the population will be vaccinated through that, if it gets approval. this vaccine is coming from belgium. do you see foresee difficulties created by brexit over obtaining it? the uk government is in control of what comes through the borders and they will prioritise this. i do not think we would see that as an impediment to getting it into the country. longer term, issues impediment to getting it into the country. longerterm, issues around having enough workers and drivers as we get into the middle of next year might be issues but i know this will

bea might be issues but i know this will be a priority. all eyes on the pfizer biontech vaccine because it is the first to be approved. also of course there is the oxford vaccine thatis course there is the oxford vaccine that is home grown for which there are great hopes. do you have an understanding how ready we are to roll that particular vaccine out once approved? what i can say is that vaccine requires the infrastructure we already have, 2—8 temperature environment, which we have plenty at that temperature around the uk and vehicles can operate at that temperature co mforta bly. operate at that temperature comfortably. while there is a huge scale, it is a vaccine with ten times more to vaccinate during the flu season for example but we do have the infrastructure for that.

the government is starting to release information about covid—19. the uk has reported 414 new covid—19 deaths compared with 648 a day earlier. in terms of new cases there are 14,879 new cases today and that is compared with 60,170 a day earlier. we are aware the total number of deaths in the uk is close to 60,000. 0nce number of deaths in the uk is close to 60,000. once we have taken a look at those figures we will bring you the latest on that. a major incident has been declared after an explosion at a waste water treatment works near bristol caused multiple casualties. emergency services were called

to the site off kings weston lane in avonmouth around 11.20 am today. avon fire and rescue service said there were multiple casualties, and some injuries were serious. kieranjenkins was working nearby when the explosion happened. 11:20, something like that, an explosion. the whole warehouse was shaking. and we literally stood there in shock, because we thought everything was going to fall. and then people started coming out from the warehouses over there. the next thing you know, we look out the windows and all we saw is people running and, yeah, it was like we don't know what happened. no one knew what had happened. it was a bit of a shock, really. certainly some large explosion? yeah, yeah. fingers crossed, no one is hurt and hopefully everything is all right. you didn't hear anything? i heard a bang. when i was inside the warehouse, i was with my colleague aaron and the next thing you know, the whole warehouse is shaking. we were stood there, like in shock, because everything was shaking. we didn't know what was going on.

and everything is all metal in there. if something falls on us, do you know what i mean? so you heard a big bang, you haven't seen anything? no, i didn't see anything. all i heard was a big bang and the whole warehouse was shaking. like the ground was vibrating, everything. 0ur correspondent phil mackie is near the plant in avonmouth. what is the latest? we hope to get an update in the next half hour from police because we still don't know how many have been hurt or how seriously. you can see in the distance that large green chemical tank with the lid blown off. 0ne distance that large green chemical tank with the lid blown off. one of two, ona tank with the lid blown off. one of two, on a site owned by bristol bio resources and renewable energy and on its website it said it uses anaerobic digester to turn waste food into energy and fuel 6000 homes here. we do not know what caused the accident but since i have been here i have seen a lot of emergency

vehicles leaving the scene. you can see there is a police cordon, but fire and rescue have started to leave and there was a search and rescue leave and there was a search and rescu e tea m leave and there was a search and rescue team that left the site and within the past 20 minutes, some vehicles delivering ways to the site have been allowed in again and leaving with an empty load. we will come back to you with the latest and particularly when we have the police press co nfe re nce . i want to drink you up—to—date with the new data from the government about ——i the new data from the government about —— i want to bring you up—to—date with new data about covid—19. new figures show there we re covid—19. new figures show there were 414 new covid—19 deaths today compared with 648 a day earlier. that brings the uk to a total of over 60,000 deaths from covid—19. we knew the figure was hovering very

close to 60000 and today's data means it is 60,000 deaths the uk has suffered. i am joined means it is 60,000 deaths the uk has suffered. iam joined by means it is 60,000 deaths the uk has suffered. i am joined by health editor. i remember sitting here not long ago with you talking about a grim milestone of 50,000 deaths, and in too short a period of time we are at 60,000. it has been a feature of the pandemic that you get positive news and shortly afterwards, some pretty stark, gloomy reminders of how serious this is. in early november, pfizer announced the results of its trial and two days later, the death toll hit 50,000 in the uk. we had great excitement yesterday about the vaccine being rolled out. today, this 60,000 figure for those reported deaths in total in the uk. to be clear, those are people who have lost their lives

within 28 days of a positive test for covid. it does not include others who have died a longer duration after a test, and there is a wider definition of the death figures which includes all of those who may be dyed without having a test at all, but where covid is listed as a factor on the death certificate and that figure is more than 70,000. the uk's death rate expressed as share of the population is one of the worst, only spain and italy have higher death rate. sobering reminder of quite how desperately vicious this is, the effect it had their wares has on lives, and a reminder of the need for social distancing and people to ta ke for social distancing and people to take great care and go along with the guidelines, and of course it emphasises why a vaccine is needed, thatis emphasises why a vaccine is needed, that is the good news that from next week this vaccine will stop being

rolled out. i remember you reminded us over the course of this pandemic of words from the chief scientific officer early on in the pandemic, saying that we would be in a decent position if the country as a whole got away with 20,000 deaths, and here we are at 60,000. i wonder if you could put it in some sort of context for us, because the death figures released today are 414 compared to 648 the previous day, that in itself has come down quite a lot. yes, there are daily fluctuations, but yes it is lower, and we had a run of days in the last week or so of more than 600 daily reported deaths, and then a series of more than 500, so that is possibly encouraging. remember it is a lagging indicator, it reflects infections picked up maybe three weeks ago. the number of new daily reported cases has been falling

fairly consistency. the number of hospital admissions each day with covid has fallen a bit in the last few days. so the effects of various lockdown restrictions around the uk are being seen in those figures, so hopefully the daily reported death number will come down, but so much depends on what happens in the weeks and months ahead with the virus and how much it spreads and how much people go along with the guidelines. thank you very much. students sitting a—levels and gcses in england next summer will get advance notice of some topics in the exams, and will be graded more generously. the education secretary gavin williamson says the changes will compensate for the disruption to teaching caused by the coronavirus pandemic. labour says it's worried that the pupils who missed the most lessons, will still lose out. 0ur education editor bra nwen jeffreys reports. heading home to self—isolate, year 11 at the secondary school.

just before it was confirmed, some shared their gcse fears with me. i have a lot of worries about gcses because i really feel like there is not much being done about the amount of time we missed. i prefer to be in the school to learn, so the disruption to that isjust going to really knock my focus off my education. i know that students and teachers are making an enormous effort to catch up with any lost learning. to support those most affected by the continuing disruption, the end ofjanuary students are going to be given advance notice of some other topic areas that will be assessed in their gcses and a—levels so, would narrowing down the topics in each subject help? i think that will be the most beneficial thing, one of the most beneficial things that they can do, because it really, like, gives you that tiny bit of hope that we need at this time. how will gcse and a—level exams work in 2021? grades will be more

generous than normal, mainly in line with 2020. advance warning of some topics will be given, but not the questions. some study aids will be allowed — that could be a formula or a vocabulary list. and special measures will be used to work out grades for an exam missed. after a term of covid disruption, the does give schools a bit more certainty, but they are going to have to wait until january to find out what topics will be in which exam papers. and there is still one big unanswered question — how do you take account of the fact that some kids have missed so much more learning than others? so, an expert group will look at that bigger picture, but grades are not likely to be adjusted. and here they are worried about disruption after christmas. if we stick to the plan and the continued disruption across the country happens right

through until, whether it is march, april, i think we are going to have a massive impact on the well—being of younger people and families, and we are going to see a very unfair system and probably a return to the debacle of last year. northern ireland also plans to hold exams, but in wales, they have been cancelled. whilst scotland only plans to have exams for highers. schools are still dealing with coronavirus. faith in these plans will be tested in the next few months. branwen jeffreys, bbc news. university students in england and wales are starting to go home for christmas from today — although under strict coronavirus rules. students across the uk are facing extra checks before they can be reunited with the families. and their return in the new year will be staggered — with some not going back until february. damian grammaticas reports. ready, set, all systems go.

beginning today the great christmas getaway. these are the first students in the queue for free rapid tests here at anglia ruskin university in cambridge. a quick swap and a two hour wait is all it takes. going home to my family, so ijust wanted to make sure that i was safe to go home. those with the all clear need to travel as soon as possible, but if you are found to be carrying the virus, you have to wait and self—isolate. doing the test now, though, means there is still enough time to quarantine and get home for christmas. i would like to know whether or not i will be, i suppose, endangering my family. but obviously if i get the test and it comes back positive, i will not be going back. so it isjust peace of mind i suppose. and students do not have to do this, testing is voluntary. so, around the country, tests are happening. here in london, in newcastle the infrastructure in place, and in st andrews in scotland. across the uk the aim is to try to limit the risks.

so university christmas plans vary. in england and wales, students are being asked to travel by the 9th of december. in scotland and northern ireland, no set window, instead staggered dates to avoid a surge of travellers all at once. and for the new university term after christmas, a slow delayed return from early january until february to avoid a repeat of the campus outbreaks earlier this year. so, when they come back injanuary, we will be able to test them when they come back on the campus. they will get to tests, and if they are negative of course they can start their courses straightaway. if they were positive, they would have to get a test from the nhs and then they would go into a self isolation period. students are much more aware now that they can be vectors spreading covid—19, so the hope as most will seek to protect their families. five seconds of uncomfort versus being in hospital with tubes down you, it's not really much of a question, is it? but what is a question

is whether reuniting families for the holiday and then bringing students back again can be done without ceding new infections. a maths teacher from a south london school has been given worldwide recognition with a covid hero award. the prize was given to jamie frost, from tiffin school in kingston—upon—thames, as part of this year's global teacher prize. we can talk to him now. many congratulations. tell us about the website you developed. doctor frost maths dot—com. it's a combination of power points teachers can download, about three quarters of schools use this in the uk in some capacity, and that's been used particularly for lockdown lessons and people making their web doing life lessons and recording lessons, but it's an also an online platform where teachers can set work for students whether

they are at home or at school and they are at home or at school and they can monitor what work they're doing and students can practice independently and get feedback on they're doing. so boast about your own product for a bit, why has this proved so successful? what is it about this website?” proved so successful? what is it about this website? i think it's just the coverage in terms of i have a number of deals with exam boards which means i have the backlog of exa m which means i have the backlog of exam papers, the uk mathematics trust as well. using a! in terms of working out the best questions for stu d e nts if working out the best questions for students if teachers want the system to choose questions for them. it also covers all ability levels so the question is have assigned difficulty levels and it varies from basic key skills to enrichment stuff for the brighter students. and this is very much in accordance with the curriculum is that they would be doing in school anyway. absolutely right. the topic structures aligned to the uk curriculum, which is why

it is particularly popular abroad, in british international schools. i'd like to expand to other country's curriculum is as well to try to reach out has made students globally as possible. what is great about this is it is a global recognition award. you must feel very pleased. to get the award, it's so nice to receive e—mails from schools around the world, i got one from brazil a month ago saying we are still in lockdown but your site is allowing us to enable us to teach maths to our students working from home. that's what i want, full of stu d e nts to home. that's what i want, full of students to benefit from it during this. and maths is a global language. absolutely. maths is so applicable to many different disciplines. i don't understand when people say maths is not for them because it's so transferable to everything, and problem—solving skills as well. i think people shouldn't devalue maths, incredibly critical. do you think you might

have won over some maths sceptics with your website? it was quite funny, i had an interview with the daily mail and funny, i had an interview with the daily mailandi funny, i had an interview with the daily mailand i had funny, i had an interview with the daily mail and i had two hours to reteach as much gcse maths as i could, she was resigned to not learning anything, she was enjoying it so much that she... people shouldn't have this mindset of maths is not for them, as long as we are open that we can all learn maths and it's a sort of language that we learn like english, that i think eve ryo ne learn like english, that i think everyone can achieve highly and maths. briefly, do you think that mindset is a british one?” maths. briefly, do you think that mindset is a british one? i think it is globally applicable that people sometimes think that maths is not for them and they are more of an english person or a history person, etc. i think universally that we need to get into this mindset that maths is really for everyone. get it up maths is really for everyone. get it up to you. congratulations again.

now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there. it has been a cold day today, the wettest weather has been across england and wales. but it is a bit messy overnight tonight because that wetter weather pushes more towards the eastern side of england, into eastern scotland. and as it moves into the colder air, we are going to find it turning to snow in scotland. some snow over the northern pennines, the cumbrian fells, showers for wales and the south—west. some wetter weather running into the south—east of england and east anglia. a cold night, of course, patchy frost for england and wales, more widespread frost in scotland and northern ireland. some icy conditions here. the snow in scotland could bring some travel disruption early on. snow will tend to turn to rain. it will push down towards northern ireland on stronger winds. the rain clears the south—east of england, up across east anglia, into northern england. could be a bit of sleetiness in there, some snow developing over the pennines, but it should turn drier through the midlands and southern england in the afternoon. perhaps some sunshine, but a cold day and feeling colder because the winds will be stronger as well.

over the weekend, it calms down, the winds do tend to drop, gradually it will turn drier. dry for most on sunday, but still cold.

coronavirus vaccines are finally on their way, with mass immunisation here in the uk starting as early as next week. we'll be talking to experts across the world to find out how vaccines will be delivered, how safe they are, and whether some countries will be keeping supplies for themselves, so—called vaccine nationalism, meaning poorer countries will lose out. firstly we're going to look at how the vaccines

will be rolled out. countries across the world are racing to approve coronavirus vaccines programmes. some chinese vaccines have already arrived in brazil, while the first batches of pfizer biontech vaccine are on their way to the uk. in a minute we'll find out how plans across the world are likely to happen, but first let's catch up with the situation in the uk with the bbc‘s health correspondent laura foster. uk regulators have looked to the evidence and say the pfizer biontech vaccine offers up to 95% protection against covid—19 and is safe to roll out in the uk. we can breathe a collective sigh of relief and we can look forward to a better 2021 than the 2020 we have endured. anyone getting the vaccine will need two doses around three weeks apart and after you have had that second dose, it will take seven days for the vaccine to work fully. it needs to be kept in ultracold storage,

at around —70 degrees celsius — that is a big challenge. we have worked to actually build a very specific what we're calling shipper, which essentially is like a pizza box and that is packed with dry ice. that maintains the temperature without any further refrigeration or any further freezer for ten days the uk has ordered 40 million doses, enough for 20 million people. but not all those doses are ready yet. 800,000 doses are coming first, and they will be prioritised for people in care homes, but the companies behind the vaccine say they can supply 50 million doses by the end of this year around the world. and around 1.3 billion by the end of 2021. important to say, this is not the only covid—19 vaccine around, but it is the first to be approved in the uk. there are others, such as the moderna and the oxford astrazeneca vaccine which are waiting to be approved, so we could have more vaccines soon.

let's see where other countries stand in terms of a vaccine rollout — we'rejoined by our correspondents rajini vaidyanathan in delhi, gary 0'donoghue in washington, sarah rainsford in moscow. first to you, rajini, and there is a mammoth operation ahead for authorities there in india. indeed, it is worth mentioning that india is a mass producer of vaccines compared to something like 60% of the well‘s vaccines, but these three things. climate, cost and countryside. climate, one of the things where the pfizer vaccine is not seen her as one of the main candidates is because of climate. as we saw in that reportjust there, that vaccine needs to be stored at ultracold temperatures and that is not really viable here in india. a hot country of course with some complications in a cold storage, it might be difficult to get that vaccine

out to rural areas and even some smaller, urban towns as well. there is that, cost is another factor. when we are talking about a country of 1.3 billion people. that does mean that vaccines like the oxford vaccine, which actually has a department in india, the serum institute, and another locally produced vaccine, the biontech vaccine, which is being trialled here as well, i being seen as the two main contenders, because they are a lot cheaper. i was reading somewhere that the makers of biontech say that the vaccine is cheaper than a bottle of water. so cost is a huge factor. the last one is countryside. i touched on it already there will stop this is already there will stop this is a country with a population of 1.3 billion, so logistics of rolling out a coronavirus vaccine are going to be very complex. although it is worth pointing out that india has a very good record on mass immunisation programmes and local health workers up and

down the country deliver vaccinations to some of the most vaccinations to some of the m ost re m ote vaccinations to some of the most remote areas with a huge precision and success rate, so i think the word here is patience, people are hoping the vaccine will be coming to india in the coming months, but getting the entire nation vaccinated could take some time. indeed, thank you for the update. a new record, a tragic one from the united states, more than 3000 people dying in a single day on wednesday from coronavirus, the highest figure since the pandemic began. yes, it is. although i think that figure will reflect some rollover over the weekend and the beginning of the week, because there has been a national holiday here for the last few days and for example be number on monday it was around 800, so i think that was an underestimate and yesterday may be counting people that had died in the days before that, so in terms of the vaccine, we

are expecting some of the authorisations to go through, the first perhaps on the 10th of december, the second one on the 17th, the pfizer vaccine is the 17th, the pfizer vaccine is the first one. they say they can the first one. they say they ca n start the first one. they say they can start distributing that five days later, on the 15th of december and moderna's may be another seven days after that. the estimates are that 40 million doses will be available, able to given to 20 million people by the end of the year. those will initially go to her health care workers and to those who work in the ca re of and to those who work in the care of elderly people in a nursing and residential homes. unlike with rajini mentoring infrastructure in india, he at the infra structure is in place in terms of a local pharmacy chains like big companies. cvs have 31,000 outlets around the country and they say they will be able to deliver these vaccines. 0f be able to deliver these vaccines. of course, here in the united states, we are

heading into winter, so those cooling issues will not be so much of a problem with the dry ice and the fact they can reinforce the calling process as they keep them in a storage. there are going to be huge challenges, it is going to be months before 330 million people, the population of the united states, gets vaccinated, but it will be in by the end of september and by the end of december rather, with that 20 million figure and that is the hope, certainly. gary, thank you so much. let's go to moscow now and join you so much. let's go to moscow now andjoin sarah you so much. let's go to moscow now and join sarah who is there for us. sarah, vladimir putin has ordered mass immunisation in russia against covid—19 with a russian vaccine in the coming days, tell us more. yes, it is really interesting, just as the uk was authorising the use of one vaccine there, sometime next week president putin managed to say that russia would begin its mass, or he

calls it large—scale, immunisation programme. we have had in moscow that as of tomorrow, in the capital, people can start signing up to be vaccinated and the first jobs will be given on saturday. the priority is being given first and foremost to those in the most high—risk groups, talking about doctors, social workers and teachers initially being able to sign up be vaccinated. i think what is interesting in russia, most specific to russia, is that these people will be getting a vaccine which is still in the mix of phase three efficacy trials. it was registered back in august with this huge fa nfa re, in august with this huge fanfare, rush announcing it was the first vaccine in the world to be registered, but now actually mask trials have not begun, they are still under way, and in the interim results they appear to show protection,

but those are still interim results. are people actually catching covid—19 —— the numbers of people actually catching covid—19 with it are low. thank you. i'm joined now by dr michael head who's a senior research fellow in global health at the university of southampton here in the uk. looking at the roll—out, the vaccination programme here in the uk, what do you understand to be the overarching aim? is it about providing a vaccine for everyone or protecting the most memorable? the ultimate aim will be to provide for everyone, but we do have priorities in place where the most memorable populations, the most memorable populations, the most exposed populations, i would like to get the vaccine at first, so that includes care home residents and care home workers and the national health

service, so they will receive the vaccine first and the rest of the population to follow. why is the priority list made up why is the priority list made up that why is the priority list made ? why is the priority list made up that way? one of the key aims of this vaccine will be to reduce hospitalisations and deaths from covid—19. and so reduce pressures on the health service. we do know that elderly people and those with comb abilities, significant risk factors, are more likely to end up in hospital and die. so the initial aim will be to free up hospital space for other services to continue and resume. in line with what you are saying, we have heard that the government have also said that care homes are a priority, however, we understand there to be perhaps per head ten short logistical issues about care homes getting hold of the vaccine. —— micro potential logistical issues. what you think is a way around that and how will it be given to the people who need it most? are some of your correspondence have highlighted, the challenges of the —70 storage are going to become plates for

stock i've seen bbc scotland have just reported that they plan on getting vaccines in in a couple of weeks' time, so clearly some solutions have been found, but they will take time to iron out. in the meantime, we will see nhs health service staff vaccinated first with hopefully care home workers and residents to follow soon. we're hearing reports that there is possibly an intention to get vaccine access within the next couple of weeks, but let's just elaborate if we can, please, but logistical issues, mainly the storage issue, because much has been said about this vaccine, the pfizer beyond tech, needing to be stored at —70 celsius. then it gets placed into a four refrigerator, where it can only be stored safely for five days. what are the obstacles around that? maintaining that standard to get the vaccine effectively to get the vaccine effectively to people that needed? the vaccine is to come from belgium to the uk, there needs to be distributed to about 100 or so

vaccine hubs at nhs trusts around the country and needs to go from those hubs onto other nhs trusts and also into care homes. there are several stages of the journey itself. as you say, the vaccine can only be keptin say, the vaccine can only be kept in refrigeration temperatures for a few days maximum comments the need to be a huge amount of efficiency on a huge amount of efficiency on a large scale with physically getting the vaccine onto that last mile into care homes as an example. a care home residents are ill that day and cannot ta ke are ill that day and cannot take the vaccine, if they have been admitted to hospital and back a few days later, is there a catch—up system in place? are a catch—up system in place? are a lot of difficulties of getting the vaccines into care homes that need to be considered. what about the private sector? are they going to be able to get access to this vaccine and does it mean that there will be perhaps a risk that people could pay for it early and those who need it most will not be able to get it? i do not think so and i hope not. we see this as a pandemic of inequality, so we do not want any inequities in the vaccine roll out to be shown across the uk and indeed

across the rest of the world as well. i do not think it will be a particularly significant problem at this point in time. i think the vaccines will need to go —— will go to where they need to first. thank you, we appreciate your time. we're going to look at vaccine safety now. a new vaccine usually takes a decade from the start of the process to it being administered to patients. there is design and development, three stages of trials, production and then approval by regulators — up to ten years' work. for covid, it's been compressed into as many months by running different parts in parallel and in pfizer's case producing it at their own risk before regulatory approval. to try to reassure the public that vaccines will be safe, three former us presidents — barack 0bama, bill clinton and george bush — say they'd be willing to be videoed

being given the injection. what you are just looking at was doctor anthony felt see and we will talk about him in a moment, who has been criticising the uk further rushing through his authorisation process of the vaccine. —— doctor anthony faucl vaccine. —— doctor anthony fauci. more on that to come in a moment. first, more on the situation regarding the safety. i'm joined by professor martin hibberd, professor of emerging infectious diseases at the london school of hygiene & tropical medicine guest. much has been spoken about the safety of the roll—out of the vaccine, particularly on social media. what would you like to say to our viewers firstly about the concerns they may

have regarding this process? so, this vaccine has been rolled out across more than 20,000 people and it has been through the regulatory process based on those at 20,000 people and that included groups which are older, so it 65 to 85, included people with black and other minority groups. and the data looks just like any other vaccine we have been through. with this type of analysis, it looks safe, and that is why it has been regulated. it takes yea rs has been regulated. it takes years ina has been regulated. it takes years in a situation of this kind to get a vaccine, in a normal situation i should say, to be approved. this had taken a matter of months. is at speed and issue here? i think the actual time of the vaccination process has been pretty similar. what has been compressed as the regulatory delays, so normally you would have to go through various stages and you are in the queue

of people that might be interested and in this case, we have given high priority and it has gone through much more quickly as a result of that. that priority. not because anything has been missed out. is there an possibility of adverse side effects being recognised in the coming months? the approval now goes into the next stage. we have not seen it in the first 20,000, but that does not say that there are not minor effects that might occur in some people, some groups. there will be constant monitoring for the lifetime, during the next year at least. we should be aware of that, but clearly these are going to be relatively minor. there is a lot again about younger people who can typically become asymptomatic from covid—19. with that in mind, is it safer for them to get the virus rather than the vaccine itself? so, of course there is less

symptoms in younger people, but actually, they are not without symptoms and some of these people may go on to get more severe inflammatory process or even potentially long covid—19 or other things, so personally i think it is much better to get the vaccine. and of course we do not know yet how long your immunity lasts and it could be that the vaccine lasts longer than the actual infection. how much do we know about immunity? because we do not know how long, but do we know how short? obviously these vaccines are know how short? obviously these vaccines are new know how short? obviously these vaccines are new and we have not had the time to explore how long that they are going to last. it probably will mimic a natural infection, so we are talking months to years. we have got understand that this vaccination roll—out is dependent on injections, 21 days apart. if it for any reason the first injection is missed, what does that mean for the effectiveness of the vaccination programme?” the effectiveness of the vaccination programme? i have not seen the data on that, so i

think it is a little unclear on that, but in the trials, that happen very rarely. my guess is that that will not be much of an issue, i am sure we will be able to catch up. there are still clearly a lot we have to find out in the coming months. as this, what has happened, the trials, the blueprint for research in the future? yes, this is an exciting vaccine because it uses new technology, technology we have had in our hands for a long time but have not had the opportunity to use previously. so i think this might be the way forward for vaccines. we have had some difficulties, but this actually misses out on one of the steps of the infection steps of the virus, so it might make things simpler as far as the vaccine goes. is there an area of concern that you have that we have not spoken about? i'm looking forward to using the vaccine, iam looking forward to using the vaccine, i am waiting for my time in the queue to come up.

we are grateful for your time, thank you so much for being with us. finally, we are going to look at how vaccines would be distributed around the world. 172 countries have signed up to a programme to ensure doses are equitably distributed globally, but some of those, including the uk, have bought vaccines directly from the pharmaceutical companies. but there are real fears that lower—income nations will be left behind. i'm joined now by our correspondent rhoda 0dhiambo in nairobi. tell us firstly what the situation is in nairobi and terms of getting access to a vaccine and whether or not there will be some kind of a roll—out programme there. there will be some kind of a roll-out programme there. so, so far, just to say, in terms

of the spread of covid—19 in kenyan macro, we have seen there has been a spike in cases and this is because of the ease of movement that was reduced by the president when he asked the government to ease lockdown measures, but in terms of rolling out a vaccine, the government has partnered with unicef to come up with structures where they are able to train health care workers and also see how they are able to roll out to be vaccine to people who need them at most and these are priority groups. we are seeing what the who have said and that the group should be health care workers, because they are taking care of people who are critically old with covid—19 and also elderly people who have underlying conditions. what about in terms of cost of this? is they look back at an issue of whether or not the country will be able to get the resources in the first

place? cost to something that has played a key role in how can your macro has accessed even the other existing vaccines, but we have seen the support from the who and gavi that once a vaccine has been licensed and approved to use on the african continent in the context of tenure and many other low income countries, the vaccine will cost about three us dollars and many people in can your macro have said this is still too expensive for them to ta ke is still too expensive for them to take this vaccine. you have to take this vaccine. you have to remember that right now we do not know which vaccine will be used on the continent, whether it is the oxford astrazeneca or the moderna and all of them have to be given at least a two dose is seven days apart, so cost is still something that is being discussed, because also it kenya has to set aside... thank

you for talking us through that. i'm joined now by roz scourse, policy adviser to medicines san frontieres. vaccine nationalism, just to talk us through the dangers of what there is regarding preferential treatment when it comes to vaccines? yes, good evening. absolutely, we are very concerned about the dangers of vaccine nationalism and what we are seeing. vaccine nationalism is a term that has arisen during the pandemic where what we are seeing some countries putting national interests essentially above global collaboration and the solidarity that is needed to turn this pandemic and in some cases to the detriment of other countries being able to get access. came around because high income countries, including the uk, eu and the us are pre—ordering essentially more than their fair share of the available global supplies of covid vaccines. what we will see as there will be limited

available global supplies, at least initially, for any successful vaccines, but what we are seeing is high income countries going directly to companies to preorder doses and what this means as those with the deepest pockets, the countries that can afford it essentially, a booking up the limited available supply so there will be very little left for lower income countries. just to take the pfizer vaccine as an example, out of their projected available supply until the end of 2021, 80 5% of that available supply has already been sold from essentially pre—booked, to high income countries, so we are concerned about the supply fare lower and middle—income countries. with that in mind, how can we ensure that vaccines are fairly distributed around the world? exactly, a couple of global health institutions have come together, as your previous

correspond was mentioning, to form the covax facility, with the aim of increasing distribution. forgive me for interrupting, but not everybody has signed up to covax, the who initiative, so there will be people who are falling by the wayside here. absolutely, and this is what we are concerned about. concerned that the interest of high income countries and the way they are pursuing their orders outside of covax and not always engaging with covax is problematic and will lead to a delay in lower and middle income countries getting access by months or potentially goes. we sing a situation where the uk is hoping to roll out the vaccine next week, but it will be months if not years before lower and middle income countries can say the same thing. what we really want to see is a maximisation of the available global supply so that we are not all that scrambling over these supplies was that we need to maximise available supplies and to do that, pharmaceutical companies or governments need to share data

and knowledge and these technologies with as many manufacturers as possible around the world and if we can scale up supplies as much as possible. there is a school of thought that says that having a coordinated response to a vaccine coordinated response to a vaccine programme coordinated response to a vaccine programme around the world will actually slow it down people getting access to it. what is your response to that? to that i would say one of the most important parts of the vaccine roll—out is people who need it the most get the access first. this is the way to ensure that covid vaccines have the biggest impact as possible in terms of getting the pandemic under control, which is obviously what we all want. we need to make sure that health care workers globally that access first, it is not about one country before the other or a race, as a summer framing it. it is about international collaboration and ensuring access so that all countries can have access, it is not about one country.” have a lot of time, we will have a lot of time, we will have to live it there, but

thank you so much for being with us. that is it for the bbc news are special, thank you for watching. hello there. it's been a cold day today, and we have got a wintry mix of weather to come tonight and tomorrow, with some snow likely over some of the hills. this cloud has brought a cold, cloudy, miserable wet day for england and wales. we have had some sunshine away from those shower clouds in scotland and northern ireland. it's a bit messy overnight, but the wetter weather transfers more towards eastern parts of england, pushing into eastern scotland. as that moves inland into the cold and icy weather, snow will be falling widely in scotland for a while. some snow over the tops of the northern pennines and into the cumbrian fells. some showers in wales and the south—west, rain threatening the south—east of england and east anglia. it will be cold — patchy frost for england and wales, more widespread for scotland and northern ireland. icy and snowy in the morning in scotland, that could lead to some travel disruption early in the day, particularly over the higher level routes. we will briefly get some

snow to lower levels, but that will then turn to rain. for much of the country, the snow will turn into rain through the morning, and then push its way down into northern ireland on strengthening winds. rain clearing the south—east, across east anglia, heading into northern england. there could be a bit of sleet in there. some snow developing over the pennines, but for the midlands, towards southern england, friday afternoon looks generally dry with some sunshine. a cold day again, feeling colder because the winds will be stronger, especially around coastal areas. those stronger winds around that area of low pressure that's bringing the wet weather during friday. over the weekend, the centre of the low drifts down towards france, taking away most of that wet weather, and the winds will be dropping as well. so it calms down through this weekend, gradually turning drier, but we are still in that cold air. we have still got some wetter weather around on saturday, maybe a bit of sleet and snow over the peak district, the welsh hills and the mountains in scotland as we see some wetter weather coming in across the eastern side of the country. elsewhere is generally dry, a bit of sunshine around, still cold air. the winds gradually

easing through the day and continuing to drop overnight. with some clearer skies, it could turn frosty and foggy in some parts of the country early on sunday morning. once that frost and fog forms, it could take much of the morning to lift. there is very little rain around by sunday, most places are going to have a dry day. outside of that mist and fog, some sunshine coming through. lighter winds, but it still doesn't feel much warmer — temperatures still stuck at around 5 to 7 celsius.

this is bbc news, i'm reeta chakrabarti. the headlines... the official number of people to die in the uk after testing postive for covid 19 has passed 60,000. the bbc understands that some of the initial delivery of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being brought to the uk today, via eurotunnel. scotland's first minister and england's deputy chief medical 0fficer say every effort will be made to get the vaccine into care homes as soon as possible the top priority that the jcvi has identified are care homes for older people, and also the workers in care homes. the reason for that is the death toll in care homes has been awful. a major incident is declared following a large explosion