but it also that it recognises its �*responsibilities towards regional peace and security'. if the regime in iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation, we would be obligated to respond. our message is clear. the us and uk call for restraint, urging iran against hitting back, in an attempt to dismantle the cycle of violence. the pentagon says the us was aware of israel's plans but it had no involvement in the strikes. iran should not respond. we will continue to work with allies to de—escalate the situation across the region. now on bbc news. covid vaccine: fighting for a payout. the astrazeneca covid

vaccine played a key role in the pandemic. protecting millions in the uk against serious infection. the approval of the oxford astrazeneca vaccine, which is a fantastic achievement for british science. but for the minority, it was the jab that caused devastating harm. i cannot stand, i cannot sit up, i cannot walk. i miss the life i had before. the only way to proceed i , �* i think we thought that she would be treated and then she would get better and she would come home and that would be that. you are still waiting, two years on? is the government scheme designed to support the vaccine injured fit for purpose? it's not really responsive to the level of disability that people are experiencing and it's certainly not changing over time as the cost of living rises. and now, those left injured or bereaved are fighting for a pay—out.

it would not be necessary to bring any legal action whatsoever if the vaccine damage payment scheme was working properly. the covid pandemic pushed the nhs to the brink. we've got three times as many critically ill patients in this hospital than we normally have. as the uk headed into its first winter with the virus at the end of 2020, lives and livelihoods remained heavily restricted. but amidst the gloom, there is hope. the vaccine rollout begins. first pfizer... ..and then, another vaccine is approved, developed at oxford university and manufactured on a not—for—profit basis

by pharma giant astrazeneca. the approval of the oxford astrazeneca vaccine, which is a fantastic achievement for british science. it is a great day. we are very cloud. this is a really significant moment in the fight - in this pandemic. adam finn has spent decades researching infectious diseases and immunisation. a professor of paediatrics, he was a member of the influential committee which advised the uk government on the rollout of covid vaccines. the protection these vaccines were able to deliver rapidly, even just after the first dose, really saved a lot of people's lives — there's really no doubt about that at all. the public response to the enrolment of these vaccines were staggering. this is information about the astrazeneca vaccine you've had today. almost 25 million adults in the uk had at least one dose of the astrazeneca covid vaccine.

i was one of them. at every vaccination centre i have been to, there is the same spirit of gratitude and optimism from those receiving theirjab. me included. thank you, bruce. you are welcome. and, ultimately, it is science we have to thank for giving us this route out of the pandemic. done? thank you. it's estimated that about 123,000 deaths it's estimated that about 127,000 deaths were prevented by the uk covid vaccination programme up to september 2021. but this film is not about the huge positives that covid vaccines brought — a story that has been told many times. rather, it is about the small minority left injured or bereaved by a rare side effect of the astrazeneca jab — blood clots, usually in the rain.

usually in the brain. we started seeing a cluster of these cases, not only in increased number but also occurring within a relatively short time — usually the first dose, of astrazeneca vaccine. and so, the moment that that signal became recognised, it was clearly something out of the ordinary and numbers, even though they were very small, were far in excess of what we would have expected to see chance alone. as cases increased, this expert in blood disorders told me doctors were facing an alarming possibility that the vaccine was responsible. i was extremely surprised about the link all the potential link between astrazeneca and this new thrombotic syndrome. it was not something any of us had envisaged. all of the patients that we initially identified were previously completely fit and well. they presented very suddenly with what we identified

as having a low platelet count, blood clots either in the brain or in the liver, primarily, and deteriorated very, very quickly. platelets are tiny cells which stop blood loss by causing clots when you cut yourself. but low levels of platelets combined with clots meant these rare cases could be directly attributed to the astrazeneca vaccine and were given a new medical term, vitt — vaccine—induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia. before i had the vaccine, i was very independent, active warmer, doing half marathons and enjoying my life active woman, doing half marathons and enjoying my life and now, i've lost every bit of independence. i cannot even shower myself. jane wrigley had her

first and only dose of the astrazeneca vaccine on the 16th of march 2021. the first warning signs came two weeks later. i'd gone to bed with a headache, which is was a very, very severe headache. and then in the morning, i woke up and then, i really didn't feel very well. i called my daughter through because my arm kept falling off the bed and i said, "i don't feel very well," so she called triple one and they sent an ambulance, didn't they? i wasn't here but they sent an ambulance — i had gone to work. i got a call a little bit later in the day to say make your way to the hospital as soon as you can. do not drive. expect the worst. jane needed emergency surgery to clear a blood clot from her brain. this involved removing

part of her skull. my first visit to the hospital, she didn't even have the strength to open her eyes, so ijust spoke to her and said, you know, "can you hear me?" "if you can, wiggle your thumb" and she had a lot of pipes and things going down into her, so she just wiggled her thumb and from then, i knew she was there. it must�*ve been incredibly reassuring. mmm. you knew that jane could hear you, that she was still there. yes. despite... she couldn't move. and the only way she could see me is if i lifted her eyelids for her. and that was the start of our journey. jane's clots were confirmed as vitt, the rare but potentially deadly side effect of the vaccine. her life has changed immeasurably. very frustrating.

especially with grandchildren now. ijust think i will never run around and play with them. you can see the sadness in her eyes when the grandkids are interacting with her. the blood clots risk was so rare, it didn't show up in trials of the vaccine which involved more than 23,000 volunteers in the uk and other countries, but only once the jab began really rolling out in huge numbers across europe. this was a dreadful side effect. the norm for very rare serious side effects is that you pick them up within usually a couple of months, maybe three months, of mass introduction when you are giving a vaccine to millions of people and then suddenly, you see the signal, so i don't think it was because it was the vaccines were authorised quickly that this slipped through the net.

in april 2021 the astrazeneca vaccine was restricted to the over 30s in the uk. the following month for the over 40s because younger adults are thought to be at greater risk of the courts. translation: the decision being taken is to suspend i as a precaution vaccinating the astrazeneca vaccine. by contrast, in mid—march, several european countries stopped using the astrazeneca vaccine while the courts issue was investigated. when they restarted the programme, france restricted it to the over 55s, the prime minister getting his first dose live on a tv in an effort to reassure the public the jab was safe. germany, italy and the irish republic ltd it to the over 60s, denmark halted the use altogether. lisa shaw, a presenter

of bbc radio newcastle, got the astrazeneca vaccine on 29 april 2021. she was 44, her son zach was six. like jane wrigley, she suffered vitt blood because in her rain. she started to mix up her words are not fine certain words for certain things. lots of specialists and doctors started to kind of mill around at that point. she was taken for a ct scan. she was in quite a lot of pain. then discovered the bleed on her brain, a significant bleed on her brain. she was transferred into a high dependency unit. that was the last time i spoke to lisa.

lisa had emergency rain surgery but died three weeks after she was immunised. this is a picture that zach had drawn for his mum that we took her into hospital. she was in hospital, cannot wait to see you this week, get well soon, love zach. he was not allowed into the hospital? that is right. at the same time as well, it was not really an environment i would want him to be in. lisa's husband gareth is bringing up son zach, now nine, on his own. he applied to the vaccine damage payment scheme, a government body set up to give financial support to those injured by vaccines. other time i filled in a thought it would a straightforward process. this involved a review of lisa's medical records, her cause of death was given as complications of

the astrazeneca vaccine. but despite clear evidence, it took 14 months for gareth to be awarded a payment of £120,000. it is insulting. my wife died. she died because she took the product that the government told her to get, and they believed that £120,000 is what makes up for that loss? that my son will go through the rest of his life without his mother? the fixed one—off payment of £120,000 vaccine damage has not increased since 2007. if it had risen with inflation, it would now be almost £200,000. from 2000, there was an average of two successful claims a year under the vaccine

damage payment scheme. post—covid, there has been 188, all but a handful of the astrazeneca vaccine. a further 253 people were told that although the vaccine was responsible for the injuries, they do not meet the threshold of 60% disability and so they get nothing. of the nearly 16,000 covid vaccine claimants, around half are yet to be notified of the outcome. a group of around 50 families injured or bereaved due to vitt blood clots are trying to sue astrazeneca for compensation. the claim is being made under the consumer protection act, and argues the vaccine was not as safe as people are entitled to expect. their lawyer says they have been driven to it because of

the failings of the vdps. i would say the scheme offers too little, too late to too few people. it is too little because £120,000 is woefully inadequate, so those who apply are waiting a long time and that is massively and that is massively stressful, financially but also stressful, financially but also emotionally, and we would see emotionally, and we would see as well it offers money to too as well it offers money to too few people because there few people because there is the bar you have to meet, is the bar you have to meet, you have to show you a 60% you have to show you a 60% disabled before you get disabled before you get anything. anything. at all. at all. she says the impact she says the impact on those denied a pay—out on those denied a pay—out can be devastating. can be devastating. it was absolutely heartbreaking it was absolutely heartbreaking for them, and if these people for them, and if these people who have suffered these significant consequences, who have suffered these significant consequences, they have made an application, they have made an application, they have been told on paper they have been told on paper the vaccine has caused the vaccine has caused the injury and yet we are told the injury and yet we are told they are not disabled enough. they are not disabled enough. if you have been left with one if you have been left with one eye and you suffered eye and you suffered significant psychiatric damage significant psychiatric damage and you cannot go and you cannot go back to work... back to work...

peter schultz life has changed beyond all recognition. since he suffered vitt blood clots after having the astrazeneca jab in april 2021. he has been waiting more than two years to hear if he will get a payment from the vdps.

with severe weakness across his body, he also lost the sight in one eye. this meant he was not able to fill in the vdps paperwork. his friend david who helped him is frustrated by the delay is, given the clear medical evidence. as far as i know today, it has not yet been accepted because it has accepted because it has not been assessed. not been assessed. this is only five days after this is only five days after he was taken into hospital, he was taken into hospital, on the second line it even on the second line it even says vitt diagnosis. says vitt diagnosis. so in multiple reports so in multiple reports of full medical records. from different hospitals, from different hospitals, it says repeatedly vaccine it says repeatedly vaccine induced blood clots, vitt? induced blood clots, vitt? it does indeed, it comes it does indeed, it comes on the first and second line. on the first and second line. it is clear as a bell. it is clear as a bell. the nhs business services the nhs business services authority has that are often authority has that are often struggles to get hold struggles to get hold of full medical records.

it has greatly increased staff numbers to try to speed up claims. adam feehan was involved in the decisions to recommend age

we now need to take a really good look at vaccine compensation, not just for covid vaccines but all the other vaccines we use vaccine we may use in the future. to give people confidence that in the very unlikely event they come to harm from vaccination, their degree of harm will be properly assessed and correctly compensated for. health officials say the uk is at a tipping point with low uptake of routine vaccinations putting children and adults at risk of catching severe diseases. are you concerned that this action could undermine confidence in vaccines? absolutely, and that is not ongoing concern for us, and i should say absolutely and clearly this is not an anti—vaccination case. what we are doing is acting for people who have stood up

and got vaccinated, so by definition they all provaccination, but remember it could have been anyone of us. we all signed up for the vaccination and the vast majority to the right thing, so this is an act to support vaccine confidence, and act for the benefit of everyone, because i think one thing we can be certain unfortunately is there will be more pandemic incidents and we do need to have vaccines that work, and vaccines will only work if they have public confidence. having a vaccine payment scheme that works, can work hand—in—hand with that and instill vaccine confidence. i would say it is urgently look at it. the secretary of state recently met with some of the people affected by vaccine damage. in a statement, the department of health and social care said the meeting was to listen to their concerns, and said the government will look closely at these as we continue to learn and apply the lessons of the pandemic. our deepest sympathies are with those who have suffered harm.

what is that there? all the families i met are keen to stress they are not against immunisation. i understand the importance of people getting vaccinated, and the reasons why. you know, nobody has set out to harm anyone by people getting vaccinated. but ultimately she was just doing as we all thought was the right thing to do. you are not anti—vaccination? you are not anti—vaccination? whatever the phrase means, whatever the phrase means, how can i be anti—vaccination? how can i be anti—vaccination? i got vaccinated. i got vaccinated. lisa got vaccinated. lisa got vaccinated. if somebody asked me if somebody asked me to get a jab tomorrow to get a jab tomorrow i will probably say no. i will probably say no. helped millions of people.

i accept the fact that it i accept the fact that it helped millions of people. i do not deny it. i have been very unlucky. at least i was lucky to survive.

at least i was lucky to surviw | at least i was lucky to surviv— at least i was lucky to surviv ~' . . , ., variance. i think the legacy of this vaccine _ variance. i think the legacy of this vaccine is _ variance. i think the legacy of this vaccine is almost - variance. i think the legacy ofj this vaccine is almost entirely positive. we set it was extraordinary to develop something and to be part of something and to be part of something which saved millions of lives and prevented many many seriously... that doesn't take away from the harm that a very small number of people had. ., , ., had. for the in'ury or bereaved, _ had. for the in'ury or bereaved, the h had. for the injury or bereaved, the future | had. for the injury or l bereaved, the future is uncertain. gareth has been told that his claim can't be part of the group effort because the

patient safety information had been updated in litres batch of vaccination. jane and her husband are still paying for her carer and hoping her condition will improve. peter is trying to rebuild his life while while waiting to hear from the vdp s. i while while waiting to hear from the vdp s.— while while waiting to hear from the vdp s. i have faith. i have been _ from the vdp s. i have faith. i have been given _ from the vdp s. i have faith. i have been given a _ from the vdp s. i have faith. i have been given a second - from the vdp s. i have faith. i j have been given a second life.

hello. we'll all see some sunshine at times this weekend. best of which overall will be across england and wales. lots of dry weather to come here for the vast majority. scotland, northern ireland whilst there will be some sun, also expect some wet and windy weather more especially during the afternoons of tomorrow and indeed, today. and today's wet weather comes courtesy of this bank of cloud, which earlier in the day was to the northwest of the country. also a finger of cloud, just extending out to france and towards central and eastern england. it's continuing to nudge its way eastwards, but will still produce the odd spot of light rain here and there. then lots of sunshine, light winds to the south and the west, making it feel quite pleasant. more of a breeze blowing across scotland and northern ireland and whilst east of scotland, dry and reasonably sunny west of scotland, northern ireland, it's here where the rain will become extensive this afternoon. heaviest in the highlands and islands, 11 to 12 degrees under that rain band, 13 to 16 elsewhere, so feeling reasonably warm for late october. rain this evening, then eastern scotland overnight through parts of northern england, north and west wales for a time. but a weather front, with its cloud and outbreaks

of rain, fizzles out to virtually nothing as it heads towards southern england and south wales. but what it does do, it introduces widely colder conditions and last night scotland, northern ireland a touch of frost tomorrow, but a sunny start again before cloud and rain starts to push in from the west. england and wales, though a lot more sunshine more widely through sunday will be a very pleasant day, although later on the cloud increases. north west england, isle of man, north and west wales too. and temperatures, after that chillier start, not as high as today. 11 to 1a celsius, about average. now, as we go into the evening, rain will extend across the rest of scotland into northern england, north and west wales. that pushes its way southwards for monday and fizzling out a little bit. there's going to be a lot of cloud around on monday. a few brighter breaks to the east of high ground, but outbreaks of rain or drizzle possible just about anywhere. it will be milder again though, even with that cloud 13 to 16 or 17. the general highs. quick glimpse into next week. high pressure is going to be more dominant, especially to the south and later into the west.

that's going to keep things largely dry for much of the week. bit of rain at times in the far north of scotland. what i will say though, temperatures dropping later in the week, return of overnight frost and some of the mornings could still be quite misty and foggy. sun set as well will be an hour earlier. and that's because tonight we set back those clocks one hour. take care.

its "responsibilities live from london, live from london, this is bbc news. this is bbc news. iran gives its first response iran gives its first response to israel's bombardment to israel's bombardment overnight saying it's overnight saying it's "obligated" to defend "obligated" to defend

itself, but recognises itself, but recognises its "responsibilities towards regional peace" and security. iran denies serious damage but two of its soldiers were killed. growing calls for de—escalation are pouring in from around the world. egypt, qatar, the us and the uk among countries encouraging iran to show restraint and break the cycle of violence. iran should not respond.