here's our health correspondent, catherine burns.here's no such thing as a vaccine that is 100% effective for every single person. researchers trying to find a vaccine for coronavirus were set a target, to make it at least 50% effective. this oxford vaccine averages out at about 70%, so it has done that, and then some. so how does it stack up against other vaccines? there is a range. flu tends to be about 40—60% effective. at the other end of the scale, chickenpox is about 98% effective for children. the important thing to remember is that this vaccine has been shown to be highly effective. some people are asking, "how can scientists be so confident in a vaccine they've come up with in less than a year?" a lot of it comes down to cash. there's been a huge global effort with massive amounts of money — but also brain power. these vaccines that we are seeing now have been through all the usual processes, just streamlined. and remember, this isn't from a standing start. we are dealing with a coronavirus. scientists have been studying the

sue horsfall ending our report there, with health correspondent catherine burns.nt figures also show there were 22,950 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. that means that the average number of new cases reported per day in the last week is now 22,524. and 1,510 people have been admitted to hospital on average each day over the week to last saturday. 0ur health editor hugh pym joins me now. a lot of numbers, that sobering figure, the number of dead, over 50,000. can you put it into some sort of context? it is a very stark figure, 50,000 the death toll. back in marcha figure, 50,000 the death toll. back in march a senior government adviser said anything less than 20,000 would bea said anything less than 20,000 would be a good outcome. that figure of just over 50,000 is that those who have died within 28 days of having a positive test. there is a broader definition of others who may not have had a test at all and the covid is listed on their death certificate. that is now above 61,000. what is the international comparison relative to pop

our health correspondent, catherine burns, has more details.ils. all stages we h the at all stages we have been guided by the science. we have been following the science. we have been following the scientific and medical advice. at each point we have been following the scientific... following the science, that was the mantra at the start of this pandemic but this documentary asks how good was that science? the risk to the public remains low. the modelling group is made up of academics who use computer models to make a best guess on how the virus can spread. their advice goes up to sage and then onto government. the first uk cases were confirmed on january the 31st. for the next month, life went on largely as normal. by march the 2nd, the prime minister chaired the emergency meeting of the cobra committee. for the first time since the virus arrived in the uk. the next day, this press conference. for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual. by then, officialfigures had said 164 people in the

our health correspondent catherine burns has been answering your questions.t is 100% effective for every single person. researchers trying to find a vaccine for coronavirus were set a target, to make it at least 50% effective. this oxford vaccine averages out at about 70%, so it has done that and then some. so how does it stack up against other vaccines? there is a range. the flu tends to be about 40—60% effective. at the other end of the scale chickenpox is about 98% effective for children. the important thing to remember is that this vaccine has been shown to be highly effective. some people are asking, how can scientists be so confident in a vaccine they have come up with in less than a year? a lot of it comes down to cash. there has been a huge global effort with massive amounts of money. but also brain power. these vaccines that we are seeing now have been through all the usual processes, just streamlined. and remember, this isn't from a standing start. we are dealing with the coronavirus. scientists have been studying them for yea rs scientists have bee

catherine burns, bbc news.nd fog are set to feature in our forecast for the next few days. some pretty chilly weather on the way, in fact it's going to be a cold night for most of us tonight. the remnants of a weather front providing cloud and some spots of rain to the far south—east of england and the channel islands. one or two showers elsewhere but largely some clear skies, allowing temperatures to drop down to around freezing — a touch below freezing in one or two places. could be the odd fog patch around tomorrow morning as well. some of that fog could be quite slow to clear but then for most we're going to see some spells of sunshine. bit of patchy cloud, one or two very isolated showers and still this band of cloud and some patchy rain down towards the south east. temperatures though, they will struggle, five, six, seven, 8 degrees in many places, perhaps double digits for south wales and south—west england. then through thursday night into friday, fog becoming quite widespread across england and wales,

sue horsfall ending our report there, with health correspondent catherine burns. saw very much there, the painful situation for so many families, each of those over 50,000 people affecting families. it's a devastating, tragic milestone. how do you think we got here? well, that's 50 , 000 do you think we got here? well, that's 50,000 bereavement and hundreds of thousands of people that have suffered illness, many of whom who will have complications and long covid. unfortunately, there still people out there that don't believe that this is a real disease or deny that this is a real disease or deny that there is a second wave. so it is real, and it is a problem, but there is hope. we've got treatment now that death rates and hospital are falling from one in three to one and six, and that's thanks to improved medical care and good clinical research the drug is saving lives, and we have now got a vaccine on the horizon. let's focus on that vaccine. what's your understanding? how would you advise who gets it next? is at the vulnerable? for care homes? the front—line wor

here's our health correspondent, catherine burns.ing to find a vaccine for coronavirus were set a target, to make it at least 50% effective. this oxford vaccine averages out at about 70%, so it has done that, and then some. so how does it stack up against other vaccines? there is a range. flu tends to be about 40—60% effective. at the other end of the scale, chickenpox is about 98% effective for children. the important thing to remember is that this vaccine has been shown to be highly effective. some people are asking, "how can scientists be

deaths registered in england and wales were people over the age of 75. 0ur health correspondent catherine burnseaking to some of those who have lost loved ones in the second wave of the pandemic. peter davies and steve horsfall lived less than a0 miles from each other and died 11 days apart, both in the second wave of coronavirus. that's been the hardest thing, not being able to hug people. my dad was 79, but i do believe he had a lot of years left. peter was a family man, he died the week before his 52nd wedding anniversary. he was a brilliant dad who also doted on his grandchildren. he was overweight but healthy until he went into hospital with a water infection. he was not an ill man, he was not a frail man, he died purely of covid. if covid didn't exist, my dad would still be here. steve was a teacher but that barely begins to sum him up. he was in a rock tribute band, photographer and a biker. wherever he went on his bike, he'd take an ice cream selfie. he had asthma and type 2 diabetes but did not think he would get covid. at the end of september, though, he and his wife became sick at sa

catherine burns, bbc news.itions and abnormalities. the care quality commission says there is good quality care in the industry but it has a "growing concern". rianna croxford reports hope thought she had struggled to have children because of previous ill—health. she says it made her especially anxious when she became pregnant. i just couldn't especially anxious when she became pregnant. ijust couldn't believe it, it was like such a big gift, and then i thought what this doesn‘t last? she is now six months pregnant and has had five private scans, costing between 60 and £100 each. and has had five private scans, costing between 60 and £100 eachm has been the most relieving experience ever and i had had the most sleepless night before, just with pure worry, so when you then come out of that and you know everything is ok, feel pretty relieved for may be a good couple of days, up to a week, and then the cycle starts again. scans are carried out by stenographers. —— by sonographers. it is not a regulated profession

the bbc‘s health correspondent, catherine burns, has been speaking to people who've lost loved ones inave of coronavirus. peter was a family man, he died the week before his 57th wedding anniversary. he was a brilliant dad who also noted on his grandchildren. he was overweight, but healthy until he went to hospital with a water infection. he wasn't an ill or frail man, he died purely of covid. if cova didn't exist, my dad would be here. steve was a teacher, but that barely begins to sum him up. he was ina barely begins to sum him up. he was in a rock band, a photographer and a biker. wherever he went went on his bike, he would take an ice cream selfie. he had asthma and type two diabetes but didn't think he would get covid. at the end of september, he and his wife became sick at the same time. it was awful because we we re same time. it was awful because we were both so ill. his auctioning levels are quite low, enough to make us levels are quite low, enough to make us realise that he needed medical attention. sue hoped and believe steve would be ok right until the end. the shock came w

joining me in the studio is our health correspondent catherine burns and i'm alsojoined by dr andrewa, the uk vaccine regulator, for safety approval. the pfizer biontech vaccine was sent for approval last week. thejoint committee on vaccines then decides who gets it and in what order, and roll out could begin next month, to the nhs front line and the most vulnerable. how is the percentage efficacy calculator? they have thousands of people on this trial and of them, 131 went on to develop covid. that's how they've come up with the number. it's important that we put these numbers in some kind of context. when all this started, we would have been delighted to get a vaccine with an efficacy of about 50%. flu jabs have about 40 to 60%, so when we are hearing here that the dose is somewhere, the efficacy of somewhere between 70% and 90%, this really is brilliant news. and just to be clear, that means that it works in that percentage of people, so there will be some people that it won't work for. yes, but this is also interim data and as the trials go on and on, these numbers will get crunc

catherine: it depends on where you are. it is a very big concern. it is not as much hospital beds as it is trained health care providers. they are burnedre are not enough of them. we see what is happening in el paso, where they have to bring in refrigerated morgues. good, and people should not travel. travel,y are going to and we are likely to see an uptick. how do you think we should see local authorities responding to this? once we get through thanksgiving comic you anticipate we will see further restrictions and greater restrictions on people's ability ofmix, go to work, do all the things they are doing now? catherine: that will depend what part of the country you are in, but because of politics. there are some states or localities that will increase restrictions. other states are not. reinstateicult to stay-at-home orders or more onerous restrictions after they have been lifted. .hat happened during the summer before we had the cases down where we wanted to get them. now we are paying the cost. kailey: how much of a solution is rapid testing? anecdotally i know many people have decided to get a rapid test and then return home and g