that was smitha mundasad with a look ahead at what 2021 could bring in the field of healthcare.rus pandemic continuing to cause misery all around the world. social distancing and other restrictions means normal new year's eve celebrations will have to be curtailed. but in new york — they insist the show will go on — as much as possible. the bbc‘s tim allman explains. the more things change, the more they stay the same. workers finishing preparations to the giant crystal ball that will see out the old and see in the new. it weighs six tonnes, has a diameter of more than 3.5 metres, and is clad in thousands of waterford crystal triangles. a very big ball for a very big night. this year's new year's eve is the most anticipated since the millennium, and the tradition remains the same. this beautiful waterford crystal ball will drop at midnight, the entire world will count down with us here in new york, as we celebrate the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. newsreel: millions down broadway, and the great white way is swinging it! they've been celebrating the new year at times squ

today, it's the turn of our global health correspondent, smitha mundasad. 2020 is the year we all learnttiny virus can bring. 2021, then, will hopefully be the year we witness how science and changes to our behaviour can put us back on track. this is the uk's margaret keenan. in december, she became the first person in the world to have the pfizer biontech vaccine, outside of clinical trials but the world health organization says no one is fully protected until everyone is protected. so the biggest question for 2021 is how to vaccinate the whole world. that's where something called covax comes in, a new system set up by the big health bodies like gavi, the vaccine alliance. its aim is to ensure everyone who needs a vaccine most, wherever they are in the world, will have access to it. the plan is to secure enough doses to protect at least a billion people in 2021. health care workers and people over 65 are at the front of the queue. but it's not the only vaccine that's important. the world health organization says millions of children are now at risk of catching measles and polio because

bbc global health correspondent smitha mundasad explains.e been putting plans in place to make sure those who need the vaccine most get it as quickly as possible. the ultimate decision rests with the governors of the various states. and i hope the governors make wise decisions, who will decide where the vaccines will go in their state and who will get them first. the centers for disease control and prevention say health care workers, both paid and unpaid, and people living in long—term residential care should be near the top of the queue. states will be prioritising other groups too. because this vaccine needs to be stored at ultralow temperatures, large hospitals and other centres capable of such specialists storage will be key to getting the vaccine out. as more vaccine becomes available, the goal is that everyone who wants a vaccine is able to get one in places like doctor's offices, pharmacies and clinics. the nation's health protection agency says that any vaccines purchased using us taxpayers money should be available to be american pe