but, you know, they do it in a very sober way. the ft is certainly not helped convince ministers to tighten going in for panic headlines, but it the restrictions for millions of people over christmas. is saying that this sudden the new variant was first quarantining of these aisles by i think 50 countries is producing a detected in september, and more and more is being learned about how the transmission of the virus works, as our science editor david shukman reports. the virus may be changing, but it's still spreading in the same ways. either someone infected contaminates an object that someone else touches, or a cough sprays out droplets containing the virus that reach people nearby. or tiny virus particles emitted just risk of, they're going to safe in risk of, they're going to safe haven, what do you make about?” by talking linger in the air mean from other market traditionally and get breathed in. doesn't understand or get politics, the result is that infections happen they react so violently and swing most easily indoors. one way or the other, there is an we've known that for a while, irony amongst all of us that we are being depicted as the sick man of and scientists say that even europe, but i think denmark, original forms of the virus can reach further and switzerland, holland, have higher infection rates, and of course this faster than expected. new strand, this strain of the virus one study shows the critical importance of timing. which is mutating, it must be mutating in other countries as well, in many countries, the guidance so mutating in other countries as well, so it's notjust us, and i don't is to limit close contacts to 15 think the uk canjust be seen in

minutes, to reduce the risks of becoming infected. isolation amongst all of us.” well, a guard in vermont think the uk canjust be seen in isolation amongst all of us. i think you are right, certainly denmark and italy as well, so there will be this was in charge of six spread. let's go back to the prisoners who had the virus, and during the course of the day, he met each of them repeatedly, telegraph, yasmin, because the prime but never for more than one minute minister today, now, what was the at a time. words he used about whether schools even so, he became infected, and as a result, the us authorities have changed their advice to warn would reopen on time? he couldn't that even very short periods of exposure when you are close tell us whether the phase to reopening of schools would happen in to someone can be risky. january as was planned, but my question is this, gavin williamson things like this, that we didn't know could happen before, is really important to document and share with others, so, you know, others can learn from it. threatens legal action against three local authorities in london who so that's kind of been the theme wa nted local authorities in london who wanted to close schools down just of this pandemic is, is just new and surprising. three days before they were due to and what was discovered in a restaurant in south korea is revealing. someone who was infected close, and now, we are being told was finishing a meal when a student that children can't go back to sat down more than six metres away. school. i do not blame or label the and another person found a place more than four metres away. scientists later established that blame on our current government. both became infected in a matter of minutes. this is an unprecedented crisis, but

they say the air conditioning must ido this is an unprecedented crisis, but i do think that there is such a lack have spread the virus, of organised serious response to pushing it around even over those long distances, something many whatever‘s happening that it does thought wasn't possible. make you feel more anxious, i think. and on top of that, there is now so, i don't know what's going to concern about one of many happen to schools. and apparently, new variants of the virus. this new variant affects children it has 17 key differences more than the original one. 0k, in its genetic make—up, the result of random mutations. giles... and roughly half of those changes so there is a grave danger. we will are in the spike protein — come to that in the moment. giles, that's the part that binds to human are you glad you are not head of cells, possibly doing munication set number ten at the that more effectively. moment? writes, i think he has been put her finger on it there. we are dealing with a massively fast—moving it is likely to be more transmissable because it's a dominant strainjust now, situation where the facts are but that is not only changing our by our. sol dependent on the virus, it is also dependent on people's situation where the facts are changing our by our. so i have some behaviour, and so we need to see whether it is the behaviour simply for them yes, dan williamson that is accounting for all of these did try to bring legal action, but new infections now, or whether it's of course, we have this new strain, really the strain that's easier which as you are saying, his to transmit from person to person. children a lot harder. so we have to one worry about the new variant sit in the context of this here in the uk is that it may replicate more quickly, unprecedented situation, things are which means more of it can be released to reach other people. changing, and after change without. amongst all this to me always trying to maintain maximum transparency and all this means that social public trust, but it's all most an

distancing, wearing masks, hand hygiene and fresh air are more impossible situation, you are damned important than ever. if you do, you are damned if you they're simple measures, don't. guardian, yasmin, imposing but they remain the best defence until most of us get the vaccines. national lockdown now or risk human david shukman, bbc news. disaster, scientists tell p:m.. i think we've got to the bottom from actually come about when the many of the uk's highest government knew how villains —— how infection rates are in london and the south—east of england, rampant this variant was. this was where the new variant of coronavirus is believed to be on friday. if these warnings are coming to him now, i wonder how much particularly prevalent. our home editor mark easton has been more he can realistically do in the to thurrock in essex, run—up to christmas. one of the worst—affected areas. thurrock‘s christmas wonderland more he can realistically do in the run-up to christmas. is it to me you are asking? yes. sorry. well, again, is closed — by law. the vast lakeside shopping centre, almost deserted on what should have i have heard from several other been one of its busiest days. people backed by wednesday, boris at santa claus‘s grotto, another sign of the times. this part of essex johnson and his inner circle knew appears to be the current epicentre of the outbreak, that this was a fast changing real with the fastest—rising rate of infection anywhere in tier 4. plans have been thrown into chaos. emergency, health emergency. i have no idea why you waited. i'm not sure if that is true. i think a lot of people are making the best of it, but the joy and goodwill of

people are suggesting that. our own christmas 2020 have been science reporter said that he was replaced by fear, frustration, and, briefed on friday afternoon with in some cases, fury. that specific, so we've moved on from that. anyway, let's look at "yes, i'm saving what they are going to do. christmas," and then, "no, you're not having christmas." i still think from where we all how do you feel about that? i'm really angry. what the prime minister sets, the responses and the way it's is offering is doolally. who is doolally? being dealt with, i'm sure giles the prime minister. would've done a betterjob of it, it really? why? he should have locked it from the beginning, not now. is not well managed, or well organised. but that's different from i can't see my daughter, can't accusing the government from see my son, nephew, niece, brother. disassembling about when they knew it was all planned for. about that, isn't it? well commuted we just have to change everything, you know, we have already bought food. to that, i did. let's move onto the it would have been nice to not make those plans, giles commuting virus spreading and then have the disappointment. across uk. you are making the point i had to bury someone earlier on that it's around europe on wednesday, we found out as well, but the fact is that we were going into tier 3, and then tierli. because people have been mixing so i was in a state all weekend over it, to be fair. much and trying to get away from it is not very nice, london, especially in big cities having to cancel christmas. before the tier 4 lockdown at bit of a touch, really. i was meant to be going to the mother—in—law's, midnight, it's escaped, hasn't it? but i ain't going now, so it was a right touch.

yes, it feels like we are heading see you later. i was hugely impressed by your lights. while dad was isolating for the inevitable second proper after being in hospital, lockdown. whole country will be the page family determined they would decorate their home for christmas like never before. it's just been a horrendously awfulyear, so, ithink the lights help everyone. even when we are driving round, looking round at other people's lights, it cheers you up. on this, the darkest day of the year, people are looking for light. finding christmas joy where they can. mark easton, bbc news, thurrock in essex. that's it. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good night. this is bbc world news, the headlines... ——hello and welcome to our look

ahead to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are giles kennigham — political commentator and former conservative party press chief — and author and journalist, yasmin alibhai—brown. tomorrow's front pages starting with the financial times who reports that global markets are falling due to more than a0 nations imposing travel bans on the uk in response to the new coronavirus variant. the independent also focuses on the uk being isolated — with lorries stuck at dover — and scientists warning that further restrictions may be needed around the country. the telegraph reports that the prime minister has ordered mass testing of lorry drivers taking goods across the channel in a bid to resolve the "covid border crisis" between the uk and france. the metro features a picture of shoppers queuing to enter —— president negron demanding a specialist test, costing £150. ——

president macron. the metro features a picture of shoppers queuing to enter a supermarket after fears of supplies running low during the festive season — calling the situation "jingle hell". the daily mirror leads on the new variant of coronavirus — reporting that cases of the new strain have been found all across great britain, notjust london and the south east. and the guardian delivers a grim warning from scientists to the prime minister — saying he must impose a national lockdown or risk a "human disaster". some would say tier 4 is almost a national lockdown anyway. right, let's kick off. will come to you both again. yasmin, let's start with the telegraph. johnson plans mass testing of lorry drivers to reopen ports. only a few hours ago, he was saying that the situation might be resolved within a few hours. it doesn't look as if that's the case. well, it's interesting. ithink doesn't look as if that's the case. well, it's interesting. i think from the front pages i've looked at some of the telegraph is the only one

which is saying this. it is my view that the telegraph is a bulletin for borisjohnson. so they either have this information which is genuine or its something to maybe reduce the panic that is around the country here and around the world. this is an extraordinarily thick —— extraordinary thing to happen so quickly. he said he had talked to president macron. this mass testing is promised, but even at the press conference, the numbers he was giving for the numbers of lori drivers, what was according to some experts far below the real number. drivers, what was according to some experts far below the real numberlj think experts far below the real number.” think it is. sorry to cut across you, yasmin, but i think they said it was down to 174 with a peak of 500, but i think tonight it is about

900. that's exactly so. let's bring back 01’ that's exactly so. let's bring back or when it on this, because specifically i'm testing, the telegraph has a lot of detail about the same that emmanuel macron is calling for the pcr covert test, the gold standard test, 150 pounds protest, but takes to act in three days, giles to a result. that is not going to get any of these drivers back home in time for christmas, is it? certainly doesn't sound like just a few hours to resolve this. no, ithink just a few hours to resolve this. no, i think that's key. mac there's going to be a deadlock in all this. it's going to take longer to unblock. i think borisjohnson said this only affects 20% of food supplies coming into the country. of course, the problem with all of essays that the more that we see messages saying don't panic is that it will fuel more panic and more hysteria, and this is where media has a role not to over etched things, but we see huge queues of people outside shops, to some extent can you think it's on the going to get worse. can they

unblock, what kind of testing is there, how long will it take was think supermarkets that it's mine, 48 hours, but any time after that, it starts to become problematic more around perishable goods, which always work on a short—term supply chain. yes commedia 596 of our vegeta bles chain. yes commedia 596 of our vegetables and fruit i think is imported, which i was reading somewhere today. - it in a very