point to be _ indicated from chris whitty's point to be a _ indicated from chris whitty's point to bewhat we are _ to be a comedy here and now is what we are dealing with immediately, not what is _ we are dealing with immediately, not what is about to come to us, possibly, _ what is about to come to us, possibly, but on the other hand, clearly, — possibly, but on the other hand, clearly, at — possibly, but on the other hand, clearly, at the same time, he's obviousiy— clearly, at the same time, he's obviously very vigilant and very aleri— obviously very vigilant and very alert to — obviously very vigilant and very alert to the fact that there is the risk of— alert to the fact that there is the risk of this— alert to the fact that there is the risk of this coming in. what he is saying _ risk of this coming in. what he is saying in— risk of this coming in. what he is saying in fact is that we may have to do— saying in fact is that we may have to do something more muscular at some _ to do something more muscular at some point— to do something more muscular at some point as he describes it

the important thing to notice that chris whitty has already. notice that chris whitty has already adjustedioural science was the notion of behavioural fatigue early on in march last year, it was assumed that people were not able to deal with restrictions, and as a consequence, we had to delay the measures taken against the first wave. and so we did delay, and it is estimated that tens of thousands of people died as a consequence, and we discovered that the notion of behavioural fatigue was just plain wrong. people showed remarkable resilience, even though they were suffering, and they showed resilience because they came together collectively, and we supported each other and we understood why it was so critical to act together. this time, chris whitty, he still has doubts, and of course we all have doubts because we can never have a crystal ball to say exactly what will happen, but this time he says, i think people will go along with measures, but he makes another point that is critical, and thatis another point that is critical, and that is the major issue is not fatigue, it is not whether

to kind _ advisers like professor chris whitty to kind of _ advisers like professor chris whitty to one narrative, because we — to kind of stick with one narrative, because we have had a lot of back and forth in— because we have had a lot of back and forth in terms of mixed messaging throughout this pandemic, so sometimes it can be at that, you know, _ so sometimes it can be at that, you know. not— so sometimes it can be at that, you know, not useful in that sense. what do ou know, not useful in that sense. what do you make — know, not useful in that sense. what do you make of _ know, not useful in that sense. what do you make of the _ know, not useful in that sense. what do you make of the male, _ know, not useful in that sense. “twat do you make of the male, joanna? well, this particular headline from the mail— well, this particular headline from the mail doesn't surprise me, and i'm the mail doesn't surprise me, and i'm sure _ the mail doesn't surprise me, and i'm sure it— the mail doesn't surprise me, and i'm sure it doesn't surprise many people. — i'm sure it doesn't surprise m

i tend to agree with chris whitty rather than joe one go.ather thanjoe on this one. i do think people will do it. the point that chris whitty made at the press conference today was, if people can see a good reason for a restriction, they are happy to abide by it. so it feels that people will go back to masking up without too much of a problem. what is unfortunate is we did not do this before because even before this came along we still had really high rates of delta virus and part of the result of that is not having those extra restrictions in place. talking about putting _ extra restrictions in place. talking about putting the _ extra restrictions in place. talking about putting the genie _ extra restrictions in place. talking about putting the genie back - extra restrictions in place. talking about putting the genie back in i extra restrictions in place. talking| about putting the genie back in the bottle, you brought that up. front page of the sunday mirror. i know this is your paper and will come back to it, butjoe, even boris johnson ha

i mean, chris whitty was very keen to point out, when _ whitty was very keen to point out, when he _ll record cases— countries because we all record cases and — countries because we all record cases and think slightly differently. in about a month or two a-o differently. in about a month or two ago we _ differently. in about a month or two ago we were reporting on england have lreen— ago we were reporting on england have been very, very high infection rates _ have been very, very high infection rates and _ have been very, very high infection rates and that's because the uk opened — rates and that's because the uk opened up, well particularly england, opened up much earlier, much _ england, opened up much earlier, much harder, injuly, you know, really— much harder, injuly, you know, really lifted _ much harder, injuly, you know, really lifted up all those restrictions. so we've been seeing months _ restrictions. so we've been seeing months of— restrictions. so we've been seeing months of very high infections, but the benefits according to scientists like niall— the benefits according

he will be joined by england's chief medical officer, professor chris whitty and the uk government'sviser, sir patrick vallance. full coverage here on the bbc news channel from 5pm. at least two men have been killed by falling trees as storm arwen hit parts of the uk with high winds, rain and snow. the storm caused damage across scotland, northern england, the midlands and wales — with winds of nearly 100 miles an hour leaving more than 100,000 homes without power. there are further weather warnings across the uk today, as emily unia reports. storm arwen brought winds of more than 90 miles an hour to pummel the coast of north—east scotland. the met office issued a rare red weather warning, meaning there was a potential risk to life. i can barely stand up. sean, a storm chaser, filmed treacherous conditions near edinburgh for social media. pushing through. i've been hit by falling debris. that is brutal. this is portobello beach in edinburgh. i have never in all my life seen a storm like this. passengers travelling from inverness to aberdeen ended up spending the night on a train. i g

one other thing that i struck me was the comments by chris whitty about pregnant women and the lack ofreal concern. the _ real... of the vaccine. it is a real concern, the vaccine _ real... of the vaccine. it is a real concern, the vaccine hesitancy i real... of the vaccine. it is a real - concern, the vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women. i have done a lot of work on it myself. i can understand why pregnant women may find it confusing, because at the start of when the vaccine was rolling out, wit auz mixed messaging going on. but the message is clear and the evidence is clear, that if you are pregnant, you're trying to get pregnant, you're trying to get pregnant, you're trying to get pregnant, you should take up the vaccine. so that was the message from chris whitty and he said they are seeing preventible admissions to icu with pregnant women and the danger is that it is notjust a threat to the woman, but a threat to the baby. threat to the woman, but a threat to the bab . ., ~ threat to the woman, but a threat to the bab . ., ,, i. the government is set to scrap the high speed rail

so the message from doctors, we heard from professor chris whitty layer, is for pregnant women to getging is. the big concern from campaigners and maternity groups as the messaging hasn't been clear enough and the government needs to step up on that and provide a more national raising of awareness of messaging projects but in their defence professor chris whitty, he did that today and got that message out there. with; whitty, he did that today and got that message out there. why this decision that _ that message out there. why this decision that boosters _ that message out there. why this decision that boosters should - that message out there. why this decision that boosters should be l decision that boosters should be offered to over 405, notjust decision that boo5ters should be offered to over 405, notjust over 505 and older and those with underlying health conditions? the booster underlying health conditions? tue: booster roll—out underlying health conditions? tte: booster roll—out started underlying health conditions? tt2 booster roll—out started at the end of september and initia

bejoined by the chief scientific adviser sir patrick vallance, and chief medical officer professor chris whitty expect that news conference to start any minute now. earlier we heard from the health secretary sajid javid who said the two cases in the uk were linked to travel in southern africa tour, and four more countries have now been added to the red list of travel restrictions. so, ten african countries so far on that uk red list for travel because of this new variant. let's get the latest from our health correspondent katharine da costa. two cases identified of this new variant here in the uk. what more do we know about those cases? the in the uk. what more do we know about those cases?— about those cases? the health secretary said _ about those cases? the health secretary said one _ about those cases? the health secretary said one was - about those cases? the health secretary said one was in - about those cases? the health - secretary said one was in chelmsford in essex and the other in nottingham, that they are linked, that their households are isolating. 0k, thank you. let's listen in to

i am with chris whitty on this- — these measures? i am with chris whitty on this.r things you need to do to build trust, you need to be supporting people, understanding their situation and dealing with difficulties they've got. but by and large, the evidence throughout the pandemic has shown that the public�*s response has been magnificent. the notion the public are the weak point in the pandemic response and they stop the government from going further, it is wrong. if anything, it is an inversion of the truth. if much of this is based around trust, has the government's authority been undermined recently, do you think? i certainly think it doesn't help when the government start blaming the public for things going wrong. i don't think it helps if the government tell us to do one thing and do another thing themselves. but trust can be rebuiltjust as it can be lost. as i said, transparency, openness and honesty with the public and the other thing i think is important, is, ina and the other thing i think is important, is, in a way to start talking about what we are doi

if it is proven, some people fear, as chris whitty mentioned that press conference, it is much better? it would not go all then who knows? it would not go all the way to the government's so called plan b. he said it would be very targeted, for example pcr tests when people come back into the country so we can find out if they are suffering from that variant. one area that might be controversial between the parties of self isolation. that isolation for ten days even if you are double faxed if you come into contact with someone suspected of having the omicron variant. what labour have been arguing is that in order for people to self—isolate, the government has to look again at sick pgy- government has to look again at sick pay. there was no mention of that from the prime minister either. certainly, there will be fierce along whitehall that perhaps people who have been used to having very few restrictions since the summer, and who are double vaccinated, might not necessarily embrace self isolation for ten days in the run—up to the holiday period. still a lot of unanswered questions but v

england's chief medical officer, prof chris whitty says the spread of the new variant is likely to continueut of four countries in southern africa, not just south africa and we know that they have been imported into several countries around the world, including hong kong, which reported one of the first cases, belgium and most recently a report suggesting germany and now in the uk. we expect the numbers to continue to rise around the world over the next few days. that is our very strong expectation and the numbers of countries that will be reporting this will continue to rise, that is, i think, virtually inevitable. here in the uk, as the prime minister says, there are two cases that have been formally reported. the first in essex and the second in nottingham, both of those are linked together. so, they are part of the same cluster, they are not independent cases, they are part of the same cluster and they are helping all the public health authorities, they are self isolating and there is contact tracing going on by the uk health security agency around all of these. ijust wanted to say a li

bejoined by the chief scientific adviser sir patrick vallance, and chief medical officer professor chris whitty

you heard chris whitty a little bit earlier talking to the chief medical officer where he was sayingfear is the fact that there are so many mutations on the spike protein. that's the kind of grappling hook which attaches itself to human cells. that is the bet that the vaccine is there to deal with. so what we don't know at the moment is whether or not existing vaccines will be able to deal with it. bringing in an enhanced booster programme to try and get over that, again, we don't know that the boosters will necessarily work. they have a better chance than the previous two jabs, but that causes all sorts of problems. they will have to reduce the age now at which people can get the blue stereos, that will also mean reducing that gap between second and third bella says. we will have to wait for a few days to find out exactly how that is going to work. you can see there is a certain desperation out there, and if they are that worried, i would have liked to have seen rather stronger restrictions coming in. , ., , ., in. interesting to get your viewnoint. _ in. interesting to get your vie

i think chris whitty called it a different element of risk and reward now.ill change in that way. the quicker the better and i pushed sajid javid on bis on tuesday and they were quite defensive about it. we need to get on the front foot.— on the front foot. there are some eo - le on the front foot. there are some people who _ on the front foot. there are some people who would _ on the front foot. there are some people who would say _ on the front foot. there are some people who would say we - on the front foot. there are some people who would say we are - on the front foot. there are some i people who would say we are going on the front foot. there are some - people who would say we are going to get variants because that is what happens in a pandemic and with a virus, you are going to get mutations and variants all the time. this is another one. we don't know that much about it. maybe we are overreacting? i that much about it. maybe we are overreacting?— that much about it. maybe we are overreacting? i find that hard, that anal sis. overreacting? i find that

if it is proven that, as some people fear, that chris whitty himself mentioned in the press conferencein vaccines, we may yet see further restrictions, but you have got to go all the way to the government's so called plan b at this stage. he said it would be very targeted, so example, those pcr test when people come back into the country, we can find out if they are suffering from that variant. i think it is one area which might be controversial between the parties and that is the question of self isolation, self isolation for ten days even if you are double vaccinated, if you come into contact with someone suspected of having the 0micron variant, as the source of their infection. what labour have been arguing time and time again is that in order for people to self isolate, the government has to look again at sick pay. there was no mention of that from the prime minister either. certainly, there will be fears in whitehall that perhaps people who have been used to having very few restrictions since the summer and who are double vaccinated might necessarily embrace self isolation for ten

i was talking to chris whitty, the chief medical officer, about this yesterday, and in his words, weons, even for new variants. but we need to give ourselves as much time as possible. the government have said they will reveal the decision they will review the decision in three week's time. countries like south africa are key winter sun destinations for the travel industry. they will be hoping that today's announcement doesn't dissuade customers from booking, just as travel were just as travel was starting to take off. here's our africa correspondent, pumza fihlani, talking about the reaction injohannesburg to the new travel restrctions. the immediate reaction from the south african government and scientists here is that they are saying very little is known about this new variant and they would like to be given time to study it further, to know how transmissible it is, to know how transmissible it is, but also whether it poses more danger than the variants that we have seen and detected in the country, but also how it is likely to react to vaccines and whether it will hamper at all th

he will be alongside professor chris whitty and sir patrick vallance.were evacuated from rosemead prep school in dulwich after a second—floor ceiling caved in on a year three classroom. london fire brigade said three fire engines and 20 firefighters were called to the scene this morning. they treated 16 people at the scene, and took 12 children and an adult to hospital. in the meantime, we have had a statement from the school. you can see it there, it says this morning one of our year three classrooms in one of our year three classrooms in one of our year three classrooms, a ceiling collapsed, resulting in the attendance of the emergency services. some injuries were sustained and some of those involved have been taken to hospital, and that they are working with students and families to support them. they go on they are working closely with the authorities to understand the cause of the incident and more information will be provided as soon as possible, and parents and families are being reassured that the school day is continuing as usual today for the

we can show what can be done by following the science with the vaccines, and i was talking to chris whitty _ much time as possible. in terms of practicality is, what _ much time as possible. in terms of practicality is, what is _ much time as possible. in terms of practicality is, what is being - much time as possible. in terms of practicality is, what is being done, | practicality is, what is being done, we were talking to kate bob from the snp and she said in scotland, they are tracking back in the last ten days anyone who has travelled to these countries and edging pcr tests. what is being done in england? from 12 o'clock today, there are flights coming in now, a few hundred people have come in this morning from these six countries. what do they have to do? first morning from these six countries. what do they have to do?- what do they have to do? first of all, it is what do they have to do? first of all. it is a — what do they have to do? first of all, it is a joint _ what do they have to do? first of all, it is a joint united _ what do they have to do? first of all, it is a joint unite

the daily telegraph leads with england's chief medical officer, chris whitty, saying that the delta variant times features a picture of maryam nuri mohamed amin and her fiance. she became the first victim to be named after this week's mass drowning in the english channel. the headline says that the uk has warned france that it must get back to the negotiating table to prevent more lives being lost. and on the back pages, many, like the mirror, focus on ralf rangnick who is expected to replace ole gunnar solskjaer as interim boss at manchester united. lots of speculation about that one. and you have a picture of a bird. yes, so this picture. this is the belted kingfisher, which i will be honest, i have never heard of. i have heard of kingfisher before, i have heard of kingfisher before, i have not heard of the belted kingfisher. they would be a reason for that, kingfisher. they would be a reason forthat, because kingfisher. they would be a reason for that, because as you can see in the headline, only the fourth time it has been seen in the uk in the century. birdwatchers apparently were left

we will bring you that live here on bbc news with the chief medical officer, chris whitty and the chiefadviser, patrick vallance as well. boris johnson with a five o'clock news conference on the latest on covid—i9 at five o'clock. let's get a look at the weather in the meantime. although the storm is moving away and winds are moderating it is still extremely windy out there, especially along the north sea coast where we are seeing lots of showers, gusts of 60 miles an hour and some of the big waves still hitting the coastline. these are some of the gusts as the afternoon comes to a close. bit higher than this along the north sea coast and it is feeling very cold when you factor in the wind. these are the very best temperatures today. close to freezing for much of the day in scotland, more snow showers overnight. more snow to come in the north york moors and a widespread sharp and penetrating fast on the way tonight. icy patches across much of scotland, northern and eastern areas of england. into tomorrow, find start for many but an area of sleet and snow from scotland moving down into n