We we this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. 90 year old grandmother, Margaret Keenan, becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab, following its clinical approval. Applause. She was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. 800,000 doses are currently available in the uk with up to four million more expected by the end of the month. It was fine, it was fine. I wasnt nervous at all, it was really good, yeah. Shes protecting herself, but shes also helping to protect entire country. Across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in scotland, Northern Ireland
and wales, in england, people are having the vaccine for the first time. Let us know your thoughts on the start of the Mass Vaccination Programme in the uk on twitter im geetagurumurthy or its bbcyourquestions. The rest of the headlines. Borisjohnson heads to brussels later this week for face to face talks saying a post brexit trade deal is looking very, very difficult at the moment. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. And coming up the archbishop of canterbury and the uk chief rabbi talk to us about the grief they have experienced for National GriefAwareness Week. Hello and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Its being called v day by the uk Health Secretary, the start of the biggest Vaccination Campaign in the history of the nhs. 90 year old Margaret Keenan has become the first person in the world to be given the new covid jab, made by Pfizer Biontech, outside a clinical trial. Borisjohnson has called the roll out a huge step forward in the fight against the disease. The first order of 800,000 doses has already arrived at hospitals across the uk, ready to be given to people on the high priority list including the over 80s, care home workers and nhs staff. 50 hospitals in england have been chosen as vaccination hubs, sites where the jab will be administered. In scotland, there will be 23 vaccination sites, including all major hospitals and in the highlands. The Welsh Government is promising
to administer 6000 doses of the vaccine by the end of this week. And in Northern Ireland, where theres currently a two week lockdown, 25,000 doses of the vaccine have arrived. The firstjab has already been administered in belfast to a 28 year old nurse. This report from our correspondent keith doyle contains flashing images. Im just going to put this in your arm, 0k . This is the moment the world has been waiting for. The first person to be vaccinated with the Pfizer Biontech vaccine as part of the Mass Vaccination Programme. 90 year old Margaret Keenan received the injection at University Hospital coventry and warwickshire this morning from matron may parsons. This simple injection marks the start of a Mass Programme aiming to protect the most vulnerable and return life to normal. Margaret, known as maggie, a grandmother from enniskillen in county fermanagh,
has lived in coventry for 60 years. She is 91 next week and said this is the best early birthday present she could wish for. Just so strange. And so wonderful, really. Yeah, so. Anyway, this is for a good cause, so im so pleased i had it done. This is a terrible, terrible disease, so we do want rid of it. So anything that helps is a bonus, isnt it, really . Those first to receive the vaccine are, like margaret, over80, and are hospital patients, along with care workers. Two doses will be needed 21 days apart. It was really, really emotional. I cant tell you just how much emotion there was in that vaccination centre. This is a truly historic day. A turning point in this pandemic, another world first for the nhs. The start of the largest Vaccination Programme in our history. The second person to receive the jab this morning was 81 year old william shakespeare. Vaccination programmes have started at 70 hospital hubs. I feel really emotional watching those pictures of margaret getting vaccinated. It looks such a small thing. With the needle in her upper arm it was very straightforward and over in seconds, but it is such an important moment in beating this disease. More than 60,000 people in the uk have died after being infected with covid. To start with the vaccine will be given mainly at hospitals. Soon gps and pharmacists should get the jab and teams will be sent out to care homes. After receiving her vaccination and talking to the worlds press, maggie was clapped back onto her ward by
nhs staff. Applause. This hopefully marks the start of the end of this pandemic, but it will be many months before everyone who needs it will get the vaccination. Until then, the virus remains a threat to all of us. Keith doyle, bbc news. The Prime Minister, borisjohnson, has been visiting one of the hospitals administering the vaccine across and spoke to one of the first people to receive the vaccine there. Very, very exciting just to talk to lynn about the vaccine that shes just taken. Shes 81, and really very moving to hear her say that shes doing it for britain. And thats exactly right, because shes protecting herself but shes also helping to protect the entire country. And across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in all in scotland, Northern Ireland and wales, in england, people are having the vaccine for the first time and it will gradually make a huge, huge difference. But i stress gradually because, you know, were not there yet. We havent defeated this virus yet and its very important for people to understand. Sorry, its quite hard to speak through this, but its important for people to understand that the virus is, alas, still rising in some parts of the country. Its rising, for instance, in london. Weve got it down hugely as a result of the measures we took in november, which have just come off. People made a huge, huge effort. We cant afford to relax now. And so my message would be its amazing to see the vaccine coming out, its amazing to see this tremendous shot in the arm for the entire nation, but we cant afford to relax now. Our Health CorrespondentCatherine Burns is at University Hospital coventry, where the first patient Margaret Keenan received herjab. She said it was incredible to be there. Absolutely, the atmosphere
is something you wouldnt believe. I am in a hospital bay in the vaccination clinic surrounded by the media, but the real action isjust across in the next bay because that is where they are doing the vaccinations today. They are aiming to do about 100 and we have seen the very first one. Maggie was wheeled in at 6. 15 and she had the injection at 6. 29 exactly. She was the most laid back person in the room, cool as a cucumber. Wearing her christmas t shirt with the little penguin on it. She said she didnt feel a thing and she will be 91 next week and she said this is the best early birthday present she could have had. She spoke to our Health Editor, hugh pym. Tell us, how was it . It was fine, i wasnt nervous at all, it was really good. Yeah, so. You are part of a moment of history, the first to receive this vaccine, how does that feel . Oh, it hasnt sunk in yet. I cant really answer that question yet. Itsjust really. I dont know what to say. What do you say to those who might be having second thoughts about having it . I would say, go for it. Go for it because it is free and it is the best thing thats ever happened. Do, please go for it, thats all i say, you know . If i can do it, well, so can you. This is a terrible, terrible disease so we do want rid of it. Anything that helps is a bonus, isnt it, really . I dont know what else to say. I think ill have a little rest when i go to the ward. Then ill phone the family. I am going home this afternoon. Thats it then. The hospital, they are wonderful. I am going to miss them really, all the attention i have been getting. We heard maggie say she was going to have a little rest and she absolutely deserves it. But this is the start of a long, long process. Maggie will be back in 21 days for her boosterjab and about a week after that her body will have reached its full immunity levels. But this will be a huge roll out, 70 hospitals across the uk are starting this now. We have ordered a0 million doses of this Pfizer Vaccine. We dont have all of them in yet. It will be a few hundred thousand going up to about four million by christmas. This is a long process, we heard the Prime Minister saying it will be gradual, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but we will have something closer to normality. Our Health CorrespondentDominic Hughes is at the Salford Royal hospital. Have they started with the jab is there yet . Yes, i understand the firstjobs were administered about half an hour ago, about 9. 30 at Salford Royal in Greater Manchester. The process involves someone having theirjab, the process involves someone having their jab, takes about 15 the process involves someone having theirjab, takes about 15 minutes to brief someone, sit them down and give them theirjab. Then they move to another side room, if you like, for another 15 minutes, just to make sure there are no adverse effects and then they get back to their day. The way it is working in salford is, they are giving the jabs to front
line nhs staff, the vaxinators themselves, for example, you need themselves, for example, you need them to be fit and healthy. Then those who are very vulnerable, so the over 805. Most of those are inpatients here at the hospital or inpatients here at the hospital or inpatients coming in for the day. It i5 inpatients coming in for the day. It is the older people and the more vulnerable who are getting the jab5 at the moment. I am going to hand over to my colleaguejon kay, who is in southmead in bristol. Yes, this is the hospital giving out the first jabs in bristol this morning. 98 year old jack vokes, was the first to get it, i think that makes him the oldest person to get the vaccine. He has been in hospital for a while, has been treated for bone cancer, non terminal bone cancer but is due to go back home, he lives alone, in the next few days. For
that reason, he has received this to protect him when he is back out in the real world again, back out from hospital. Jack received the vaccine, he was very chirpy, accused the nurse of being a bit bossy, but beneath the mask he was all smiles. He said his head was growing because he felt proud to be the first bristolian to receive the vaccine. He was an engineer at the local Aerospace Factory in north bristol. He served during the second world war. Has been telling people some of the stories of his life, but most of all he has been talking about his life Going Forward, because he wants to get his life Going Forward in the next few days and then he said he is looking for his life to return to normal. He has six granddaughters who live around here and he has not seena who live around here and he has not seen a lot of his family going through his health ordeal over the la st through his health ordeal over the last few weeks. He is looking forward to once he has the
protection of the two jobs, looking forward to getting back to normal, getting home and being able to see his family. It is notjust jack, there will be other people getting there will be other people getting the vaccine, older people, inpatients to start with looking to go back into the community over the next few days. It also members of the nhs, care workers who will be working in the community over the next days and weeks, including those who are doing the vaccinating. So they are vaccinating the vaxinators ahead of that programme. It starts in hospitals today but then it will go into the community, pharmacies, ca re go into the community, pharmacies, care homes. In bristol, they are talking about using ultimately, a foot ball talking about using ultimately, a football stadium at ashton gate for a itibss football stadium at ashton gate for a Mass Vaccination Programme. That will slowly but surely happen, but today it isjust happening on site here. Amazing, jon kay in bristol and Dominic Hughes in salford. Thank you both very much. In about a month from now, everybody who has been
vaccinated today, will have the immunity they need. 0ur ireland correspondent chris page is at the Royal Victoria Hospital in belfast, where a nurse 5i5ter became the first person in Northern Ireland to receive the vaccine. It is it i5a it is a bleak and blu5tery day in Northern Ireland. But it is an exciting one for the medical world andindeed exciting one for the medical world and indeed the wider world as the covid 19 vaccine is rolled out for the first time. This is the Royal Victoria Hospital, the biggest hospital in Northern Ireland, it is in west belfast and about an hour ago and nurse, sister in west belfast and about an hour ago and nurse, si5terjoanna sloan, became the first person on the whole of the island of ireland to receive the vaccine. She is 28, a mother of one and she is from county down. She i5 one and she is from county down. She is due to get married in april next year and she said just after receiving the jab, 5he year and she said just after receiving the jab, she felt emotional, but she felt proud to be pa rt emotional, but she felt proud to be part of a moment of history. Now, more of her colleagues lining up in the building behind me to get their
jab. The couple are people, staff at the hospital, arriving for work this morning said it was a good feeling to be driving up the main road and seeing purple science, just like that one on the front of the building, pointing them towards the covid 19 vaccination centre. Northern ireland has about 3 of the population of the uk so it has that proportion of the available vaccines, 25,000 doses arrived on friday, enough to vaccinate 12,500 considering each person needs two doses. We have volunteer vaxinators, about 600 of them likejoanna sloan, and other care staff and the programme will be rolled out to them over the next week or so. The first minister of the devolved government, Arlene Foster said it is a day of hope. Also the first person to
receive the vaccine in the whole of the uk, Maggie Keenan, is originally from fermanagh and ella skinning. I think you can expect to hear from the likes of Arlene Foster, the deputy first minister, Michelle Oneill and other senior politicians and senior medics, that this is a significant day, very symbolic day, a day when people come once more look forward to some kind of normality being restored perhaps into 2021, but also there will be a rough few months lying ahead, particularly for Health Care Workers at the likes of the Royal Hospital in belfast here. Chris page there in belfast. We have the chief commercial officer of biontech, the firm that developed the vaccine. Hes been speaking to
the bbcs today programme. We are delighted they are vaccinating their people today. You area vaccinating their people today. You are a German Company and you are with the german giant, pfizer. It is not just that the uk gave with the german giant, pfizer. It is notjust that the uk gave approval first, we were also the first country to buy your vaccine . Yes, thatis country to buy your vaccine . Yes, that is right. The uk has been, in buying the vaccine has been very rapid in its discussions with us. That has certainly facilitated the ability to provide the vaccine. We heard there were some production issues, rather fewer doses coming here than you had originally hoped . I think that the production schedule is dependent upon approval and we had originally assumed approval earlier in the year in october in a
planning but now they are coming in december, of course. There is less production but we still hope to produce 1. 3 billion doses over the next 12 months. Lets talk about what people care about most, what this can do. Other scientists at biontech giving you some idea, does it stop the spread of the coronavirus . That is too early to say at the moment. As you say, what we can say is you take this vaccine and in 95 of the cases, you dont get symptoms and you are protected from symptoms. That is what we can say today. Of course, it is a very interesting scientific question that you ask and it is something we will be evaluating. Talks to find a uk eu trade agreement from the start of next year are stuck in stalemate. Boris johnson will travel to brussels later this week in a bid to salvage a post brexit deal, but neither side is expressing any optimism about breaking the deadlock. 0ur Political CorrespondentJessica Parker reports. They spoke again and again, couldnt break the deadlock, borisjohnson and the European Commission president , ursula von der leyen. So something different. Soon, the Prime Minister will travel to brussels in the coming days for a face to face meeting. Last year, the Prime Minister said that to leave with no deal would be a failure of statecraft. So this government must take responsibility for their failure if we are to leave without a deal. And, mr speaker, we will hold the government to account whatever they bring back, deal or no deal. Reporter have you make progress . Already in brussels, the negotiating teams who foundereed on what are now some familiar differences
fisheries, competition rules and how a trade deal would be enforced. Were still working very hard. The idea of compromise is discussed a lot. Workable solutions, it seems, harder to come by. Its not really about state aid, which is much lower here than in europe, or following eu social and environmental standards. Again, our domestic standards are way, way higher than what are required as a minimum by the eu. I think its more this reluctance completely to let go. They still want to have some oversight, some suzerainty. Last night, a senior uk government source said that while the process wasnt closed, things were looking very tricky, and that there was every chance an agreement would not be reached. No one has yet walked away, but nor have they found a way through. Jessica parker, bbc news. With the clock ticking and key sticking points remaining, there is the very real possibility that the uk could leave the eu without a deal at the end of the year. So what would that look like . 0ur reality check correspondent, chris morris is here. How do we trade if there isnt a deal . If you are a supporter of brexit it is about sovereign tree and worth the hassle that comes with it, which they think will be in the short term to get there. But it means we will trade on the World Trade Organization terms from the 1st of january. That means no deal. The government sometimes calls it australian style terms but it means trading without a deal and it is worth noting that australia is trying very hard to get a free trade deal with the European Union. What it means is there would be tariffs on, eu tariffs on goods coming from the uk. If you produce lamb, a lot of those exports go to the eu and suddenly they will be very high ta riffs suddenly they will be very high tariffs on your project which would
make them uncompetitive in europe. There will be tariffs on the other direction, uk tariffs coming from the eu, which means it would be difficult for eu companies to sell things into the uk market. But it could also mean the prices of those things we normally buy from the eu would go up. Because of tariffs, prices will go up, but then again the government will say yes, but we will lower tariffs coming from elsewhere in the world to the prices of some things, dishwashers, is one example, would go down. A lot of the everyday things we get from the eu, there would be some price rises. Lot of this is about borders, what happens in kent and Northern Ireland . It is. It is hoped if there isa ireland . It is. It is hoped if there is a deal, for things like regulations on things like food and standards of food, if there was a deal, it is hoped they would be some measures that would prevent their being checks that were to owner us at borders. There will be some checks anyway outside the single
market but with a deal they will be perhaps a little bit more limited. It brings up the option about the possibilities of delays and queues. There would be a lot more border bureaucracy with no deal. I think people feel. There is going to be bureaucracy at the borders anyway even with a deal, but a deal would make it more likely that there were easements, there were a grace period, people wouldnt turn a blind eye, but would understand that businesses were struggling a bit with the new arrangement and had to give them a bit of time. Without a deal, i think there will be very firm rules from day one from the eu side. But probably if there is going to bea side. But probably if there is going to be a crisis anywhere, straightaway, it is going to be in Northern Ireland. Because no deal ta kes Northern Ireland. Because no deal takes us back to the question we we re takes us back to the question we were talking about three and a half yea rs were talking about three and a half years ago, what do we do about the land border in ireland, which is now the border between the uk and the European Union. There is this
complex arrangement that has been made by treating Northern Ireland as a special case. I think the fee would be that with no deal, that would be that with no deal, that would fall apart. We have had the worry of their incoming us president on the good friday agreement. Theres so many other areas that have been discussed, we were told there were three main areas . One of there were three main areas . One of the big issues we know is in dispute at the moment is fishing. If there we re at the moment is fishing. If there were to be no deal than the uk would ta ke were to be no deal than the uk would take back control of its fishing waters immediately. But then i think it begs the question, what are french and other fishermen going to do, stop coming into british waters . I suspect not. 0ur maritime defences have been strengthened, but what are we going to be seeing the coast guard and the royal navy do . Capacity that they have to stop french, dutch and belgian fishermen who say we have always fish there and will continue to do so. That is
something to look out for. We have heard about losing immediate access to eu data bases heard about losing immediate access to eu databases fingerprints, criminal records that the police use every day on a constant basis. We have heard from a lot of Senior Police officials, that losing those com pletely police officials, that losing those completely would be very dangerous. The other thing, the Financial Services. It is hoped that as part of this trade negotiation, if a deal is to be done, that he would make a separate announcement about recognising British Financial Services rules, allowing Financial Services rules, allowing Financial Service companies to do some of the business they do now across europe. Without a trade deal, i wouldnt expect much progress on any of these other issues. Yes, regaining sovereignty with no deal but a host of practical issues which people in all the sectors have been shouting about for months. I am told we are
out of time because sovereignty is the big question to define. We will come back to that next time. Chris morris, thanks very much indeed. Speaking in the last hour, borisjohnson said the uk would prosper mightily with our without a trade deal with the eu. Im always hopeful. Yes, im very hopeful. But ive got to honest with you, i think the situation at the moment is very tricky. I think that our friends have just got to understand that the uk has left the European Union in order to be able to exercise democratic control over the way we do things. And then theres also the issue of fisheries where were a long way apart still. But, you know, hope springs eternal, and ill do my best to sort it out if we can. But i want to stress one thing, which is very, very important. I think people need to realise that whatever happens, its going to be different from january the 1st. Whatever kind of deal we get, whether its going to be
like australia or like canada, theres going to be change, and businesses and people need to get ready for that change. I hope everybody understands that. Will you keep trying for a deal right up until the wire . Yeah, of course. Were always hopeful. But there may come a moment when we have to acknowledge that its time to draw stumps, and thats just the way it is. But, you know, we will prosper mightily, as ive always said, under any version. Roderick abbott is a former Deputy Director general at the World Trade Organisation and was a trade negotiator for the uk. When we say wto rules or an australia style deal, as the Prime Minister calls it, what does that mean . Is it beneficial or harmful to the uk . Well, it isjust a label,
australian style trade deal is a label for having a non preferential trade regime with the eu, because you havent got a Free Trade Agreement under this scenario. That is all it is, the result of this is you trade normally, but you trade across ta riffs you trade normally, but you trade across tariffs and other regulations which may be restricting trade rather than having some form of free access, thats the problem. We know these deals are complex and they normally take a great deal of time to resolve, what is your sense here from what we are hearing from all sides, as to whether getting a deal is possible . Well, i am not going to speculate, because frankly, nobody knows right now whats going to happen in the next few days when borisjohnson does happen in the next few days when Boris Johnson does go happen in the next few days when borisjohnson does go to brussels. From my angle, i am borisjohnson does go to brussels. From my angle, iam in borisjohnson does go to brussels. From my angle, i am in brussels and iam from my angle, i am in brussels and i am looking at it from across the channel, there are several things that havent yet been completely, lets say absolved. 0ne that havent yet been completely, lets say absolved. One is, there is a consistent emphasis in london on sovereignty. We have to have our sovereignty. We have to have our sovereignty and we have to control our borders. What they dont seem to see is that sovereignty works both ways and that some of the problem is that they have with the eur because the eu has its sovereign tree redline which is to do with the Single Market and that translates into this level Playing Field. Now, there is therefore sovereignty on both sides and i think that hasnt been sufficiently realised, but
another major thing that is an ambition to have free trade access, free trade regime and it is as if there was an entitlement to have that just because there was an entitlement to have thatjust because the uk has had it in the last a0 years. This is not an entitlement, you have to negotiate it and that means you have to offer something to the eu which they would regard as the price, if you like, of free access. They dont give free access to any outside third country for nothing. So those are two major things which i think havent been perhaps sufficiently realised. There area perhaps sufficiently realised. There are a group of people in london who knows these things, but it is not show outside of the bubble, it is
well understood. In your view, when you look at the process what is the final date and agreement has to be reached or a decision has to be made one way or the other . Well, if you are talking about the date you would need to agree things in order to be approved by both sides, by parliament in london, and by the council and parliament in brussels, we are already beyond that date. So, its a kind of non question because we are already into some kind of a fudge which allows this to carry on beyond the 1st of january, in terms of the formalities and the approvals. The only other date that i can talk about is the 1st of january, when, you know, it says no further transition and everybody says there wont be. Then things will start to change. Just in a word, do you think no deal is damaging or is it an
opportunity . Well, i would have said it was damaging because i am a trained person and on the trade basis, its clear that the uk trade balance with the eu will suffer, you just have to look at the trade volumes both ways. 0n the other hand, if you take a sort of sanguine view and you accept that there will be suffering for a few years, you may, in the long run, feel that we will prosper as boris puts it but i think, at the moment, there is a sort of misapprehension that the cost of the changes will be harder for the eu than it is for the uk. That is not the case, it is quite the reverse. The eu will certainly survive and it will go for other markets if it loses any trade with the uk. Very interesting, roderick
abbott, thank you very much for your time. Pleasure. German prosecutors have insisted they are building a compelling case against the man they suspect of murdering Madeleine Mccann who disappeared during a family holiday to portugal in 2007. The convicted child sex offender christian b was identified as a suspect six months ago but he has not yet been charged. 0ur berlin correspondent jenny hill has more. Its six months since german detectives made a dramatic revelation. Madeleine mccann, they believe, was kidnapped and killed by a convicted german paedophile. After this tv appeal, they received hundreds of tip offs about christian b, who is in a germanjailfor drug smuggling and the rape of a tourist in the algarve. But they still dont have enough to charge him. Even so, this prosecuter told us, they are sure theyve got their man. Translation if you knew
the evidence we have, you would come to the same conclusion as i do but i cant give you details because we dont want the accused to know what we have on him. These are technical considerations. The six month investigation has yielded new evidence of other alleged crimes. Christian b lived here in portugal on and off for years. Prosecutors now believe he committed at least three other sex crimes here, two of them against children. He may be charged early next year, but progress in Madeleine Mccanns case is slower. Translation i cant promise, i cant guarantee that we have enough to bring a charge but im very confident because what we have so far doesnt allow any other conclusion at all. There have been so many false leads, so many empty hopes, and still the family waits to find out what happened to their little girl. Jenny hill, bbc news. Hello, this is bbc news with geeta guru murthy. The headlines. 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan has becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab, following its clinical approval she was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. It is fine, it was fine. I wasnt nervous at all, it was really good, yeah. Borisjohnson will head to brussels later this week for face to face talks in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the post brexit trade negotiations. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. Lets return to our main story. A 90 year old woman has become the first person to be given a covid jab as part of the Mass Vaccination Programme being rolled out across the uk. Margaret keenan, who turns 91 next week, said it was the best early birthday present. The first of 800,000 doses of the Pfizer Biontech vaccine that will be given in the coming weeks. Up to four million more are expected by the end of the month. Our Health Correspondent katharine da costa gave us this update from the wrexham Park Hospital in slough. The very first vaccinations started here from 8 00 this morning, and the first was an a e consultant called prem, a man in his 605 whos worked for frimley park health trust for more than 20 years. He said he was delighted and felt very proud to receive the vaccination. He said he couldnt wait for other colleagues, friends and family to also receive it. So it was nhs staff that were the first to have the vaccinations. In about a half an hours time outpatients in their 805 and 905 will start to arrive by appointment
for theirjabs. And inside the building behind me, theres some very excited Staff Members waiting to welcome them in. Theyll be shown through to one of three bays that have been set up where a nurse will give the vaccination and then theyre shown through to a Recovery Area for teas and coffees afterwards. So theyre only expecting a slight pain in the arm, initially, only mild side effects. And then theyll be invited back here in about three weeks for a second jab. Now, there are also care staff that are being invited in later today. Theyll be vaccinating here right up until nine oclock this evening. So its a huge day, lots of excitement. People saying theyre quite emotional, too, to have reached today to see this all happening. But this is just the start. And supply will be ramped up in the coming weeks and months. 0ther vaccines too, perhaps the Oxford University astrazeneca vaccine, if that gets approval, other vaccines will come online. So that will be then scaled up. Well start to see gp hubs start vaccinating and then Larger Community vaccination hubs in sports stadiums, conference centres, that will start too. The bulk is expected to take place in the new year. And the hope really is to vaccinate all of the very most Vulnerable People, certainly by spring. And its very challenging. Lots of hurdles still to come. Its going to take weeks and months, we keep being reminded its a marathon, not a sprint. But theres a lot of optimism that it can be done and this could be the beginning of the end of this pandemic. And later today, for viewers in the uk well be answering your questions on the Coronavirus Vaccine thats being rolled out in the uk this week. Get in touch with the hashtag bbcyourquestions or you can text 6112a, or you email yourquestions bbc. Co. Uk. If you want to let us know your
thoughts on what is happening today, you can also contact me on twitter the number of coronavirus cases in the United States is continuing to soar, with a million new infections in just five days. Fifteen thousand people have died in the us from covid 19 in the past week and Health Officials fear the worst is still to come. More than 33 Million People in california are now subject to strict stay at home orders, as the number of intensive care beds reaches a critical level in some hospitals. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes reports. Some of americas darkest days. Theres been a dramatic rise in the number of cases and deaths in several states. North and south dakota, texas and illinois are among the worst affected. Across the country, 10. 5 of coronavirus tests are coming back positive and in parts of california, the number is significantly higher. Here, stay at home orders are in force across much of the state. Health officials are bracing themselves for more cases following the thanksgiving holiday,
when Many Americans travelled to see their families. And there are fears it could get far worse before the end of the year. When you look at thanksgiving, thats a very brief period of time of travel and congregating. When youre talking about christmas, you go through christmas and hanukkah, you go through the week between christmas and new years, and then you have another celebration on new years. That extends that vulnerable period by two or three times what you do in thanksgiving. President trump is planning to sign an executive order to ensure that priority access for covid 19 vaccines procured by the Us Government is given to americans before assisting other nations. And the president elect, joe biden, has vowed that his administration will mobilise every resource of the government to combat the virus from day one of his term in office. Peter bowes, bbc news, los angeles. Staying in the us today is the so called safe harbour deadline
in the counting of the electoral votes following last months president ial election. Effectively, after today it becomes much harder for members of congress to later challenge the results submitted by each state. Donald trumps own lawyers acknowledged the date as critical when they were making their last ditch legal challenges to the outcome of the election in court this week. Were joined now by moe vela, former Senior Advisor to then Vice President joe biden when he was in the white house and now board of directors at transparentbusiness. Thank you forjoining us. A key day, do you think, the majority of republicans both voters and those active in politics, are now accepting thatjoe biden is president elect . I think the majority are, yes. Its so clear and it has obviously been clear for a while now. I think the president is
going to go down kicking and screaming, as weve been seeing but the outcome is very clear. From your experience working withjoe biden, tell us about him. What do you think is First Priority is going to be, obviously massive challenges ahead . He does, this is probably unprecedented challenges, as a president , taking over the United States but the beautiful thing about this is thatjoe biden is the right man at the right time. He has got that steadfast calm, wonderful leadership that has that balance of compassion and empathy but very clear focused and so, there is no doubt about it, hes got to deal with this pandemic immediately. Simultaneously, he has to start enthusing capital into the economy to bring it back from the shambles that mr trump has left it in so i think the highest priority will be
the pandemic, the economy, and then you will see him begin to address a myriad of concerns to so many of us americans. What about uniting the country politically . Look, ithink its really important to understand and manage expectations. There is nobody that has a miracle want and can wave it over night, including joe biden. For all americans, those 7a million that supported mr trump and the 80 plus million of us who supported mr biden, we will not hold hands and sing overnight but through every policy, through every word and action, through every deed, thatjoe biden engages in and that he speaks, how you can already see hes been doing this since he got elected, hes got to demonstrate and he will be doing that, he continues to do that, to demonstrate that he is sincere and genuine about bringing people together, about finding
common ground and about moving forward and lets heal as a nation, that division is very painful for us. That division is very painful for us. This has been a very volatile and vulnerable, scary time for us. And our democracy. So i think with everything he does and says, you are going to continue to see him bridging that divide and really, really trying to bring people together with that beautiful heart of his and that spirit of inclusion and equality and love thatjoe biden possesses. And equality and love thatjoe biden possesses. Just with one eye on the uk, if you dont mind, we are in the middle of not quite knowing how brexit is going to resolve in this country. Right. President elect biden tweeted on worrying about the good friday agreement being compromised. How much is brexit a priority if at all for the us administration, do you think, orfor the us at all . Well, if you go back injoe biden the us at all . Well, if you go back in joe biden 5 the us at all . Well, if you go back injoe biden 5 career and history,
we really probably arguably havent elected a president with such extensive Foreign Relations and International Relations experience. He understands profoundly how important it is to strengthen friendships and alliances with the uk and our friends around the world. He also understands that those relationships have been strained, but they have gone through four yea rs of but they have gone through four years of damage, and many cases, destruction. And so i think brexit and the future of the United Kingdom is very important to a president , to president biden, and i think you will see the strengthening of our friendship and you can count on the United States under joe friendship and you can count on the United States underjoe biden to be the friend we have always been. We have been family with the United Kingdom, where brexit occurs or does not, orfull support kingdom, where brexit occurs or does not, or full support or does kingdom, where brexit occurs or does not, orfull support or does not. What the ultimate outcome is, you
will always have a friend, in my opinion, here in the United States, especially under the leadership of joe biden, who understands that relationship and how powerful and beautiful it has to be and should be and always has been. You are an optimistic man, i can tell. Thank you so much indeed for your warm words. Thank you. Thank you. In new zealand, a royal commssion report into last years terror attacks on two christchurch mosques has been made public. The report said security agencies were almost exclusively focused on the threat from islamist terrorism. White supremacist Brenton Tarrant was sentenced to life in prison for killing 51 muslim worshippers and injuring dozens of others. Shaimaa khalil reports. The terrorist attack that shocked the world and devastated new zealand. On march the 15th, 2019, Brenton Tarrant, a white supremacist, opened fire in two mosques, killing 51 people and wounding dozens more as they got
ready for friday prayers. The quiet city of christchurch became the scene of one of the countrys darkest days. More than a year and a half on, a Royal Commission report on the mass shooting has now been made public. Today, we have answers on the matters of how the attack occurred and what could have been done to stop it. The Commission Found no failures within any Government Agencies that would have allowed the terrorist planning and preparation to be detected. But they did identify many lessons to be learned in significant areas that require change. The report found that security agencies were almost exclusively focused on the threat from islamic extremism and failed to investigate threats by the far right. It also said the police did not enforce proper checks on firearms licenses, but it found no failings within Government Agencies that would have alerted them
to the imminent attack. Representatives of the al noor and linwood mosques said the findings showed that particular government bodies failed to protect the muslim community. Aya al umari, whose brother hosein was killed after challenging the gunmen, welcomed the report but said it brought back raw emotions. Its still very hard to refer to hussein in the past tense, but he was the backbone to ourfamily and to his circle of friends and society. He is my hero and he is a hero that society does deserve to have. I do hope that there are some learnings, notjust to new zealand, but to other countries that can implement as well in a very quick, swift manner to mitigate such risks from happening. Some of the reports recommendations include further changes to hate crime laws,
how firearms are managed, and the creation of an Early InterventionPolice Programme for individuals showing signs of radicalisation. The aim is to prevent similar attacks and to help new zealand and christchurch move forward. But for those whove lived through the horrors of the day, life will never be the same. Shaimaa khalil, bbc news, sydney. Lets get some of the days other news the us media is reporting that president Electjoe Biden has chosen the retired army general, lloyd austin, as his defense secretary. If thats confirmed, general austin would be the first African American to lead the pentagon. He retired less than seven years ago and would need a special waiver by congress. A nationwide strike called by farmers unions in india is underway. Farmers are protesting about the indian governments proposed agricultural reforms, which would open the sector up to more private companies. The strike call has been backed by more than a dozen opposition groups including the congress party. With the number of deaths linked to coronavirus now over 60,000 in the uk, many bereaved families and friends will be mourning loved ones this christmas. A special service will today be held at st pauls to mark the end of National GriefAwareness Week. People are also being urged to take part in a minutes silence at 5pm and buildings will be lit up in yellow in honour of all those that have lost loved ones this year. Justin webb reports. When i am asked how many children have you got . I say five because it avoids all kinds of complicated conversations. But we always think six. Both the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, and the chief rabbi, ephraim mirvis, lost their eldest child. Through their roles as religious leaders and also through the shared experience, theyve become close friends. Our experience has been that sometimes you arejust caught by surprise. There are days that are predictable and then there are other days
when suddenly something happens, it happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and i suddenly thought, what would she be like . Joanna welby was seven months old when she died in a car crash in 1983. Ephraim mirviss daughter, leora died of cancer in 2011, aged 30, leaving behind a husband and two children. In your case, archbishop, with your daughter it was sudden. In the case of your daughter, it was not, was it . Did that allow a period before she died . No two bereavements are the same. If anybody comes along and says, i know exactly what you are going through, they dont. Because grief is something personal. When one has suffered a deep loss, it is with one for the rest of ones life and one thinks of the person every single day. And there is sadness. I think for people around this country and around the world, more than a million dead around the world, this christmas there will be an empty chair and it will be painful. Deeply painful. I think id want to say be kind to yourselves, give yourselves time, be honest about your grief and your loss, that you miss them. There is no harm in tears. Justin webb, bbc news. The Rugby League Legend, Kevin Sinfield, is enjoying a well earned rest this morning, after running seven marathons in seven days. He took on the challenge to support his old friend and former leeds rhinos team mate rob burrow, who has motor neurone disease, and to raise money to help find a cure. Kevin was aiming to raise £77,000 but smashed his target, to raise more than £1 million. Well, earlier our colleagues at bbc breakfast spoke to kevin about his experience and doing it for his friend rob. It had been a real challenge, it wasnt something we took lightly. And we got to day one and thought. We were looking each other going, have we bit off more than we can chew on this one . But we stuck to it and to actually get it done was brilliant. We just had a really, really good week. Back in the team, the camaraderie was fantastic and it very much reminded me of being back in the dressing room with rob, Jamie Peacock and jamie jones and Danny Maguire and that sort of group of players who had something really special. So to get a text message of rob when i woke up every morning, was wonderful. And to get to finish it yesterday and do it was great. It completely transformed and snowballed throughout the week. You know, rob was front and centre and will always be front and centre of anything. I think fundraising wise, the club at the minute, and certainly that team will do will be for rob. Lindsay, the kids, his mum and dad, such a beautiful family, as we all know. But that change sort of within the space of a couple of days, we were very proud to wear the vest with number seven on but also to represent the mnd association, ive got my badge on again today. And just the work that they do with families who are faced with this challenge is unbelievable. Throughout the week i was on a regular zoom each day with people and families who are fighting this as well, and to be able to understand how the mnd community really got behind us and we felt like they were all running with us yesterday. And to understand the difference this money will make to all those families, especially in the run up to christmas, will provide a little bit of hope, which is brilliant. I think the donations are still coming in. It was over1 million yesterday, if you want to help, you cant donate. And we will have much more on that story coming up today. Thank you for watching. Now its time for a look at the weather with carol kirkwood. Hello again. Theres been some dense fog around this morning, particularly anywhere from dorset to lincolnshire and points east and southeast of that. Now, most of that will lift, but some of it will lift into low cloud. And like yesterday, there will be some stubborn areas. At the other end of the country weve got low pressure dominating. So here weve got some rain or some showers spiralling around that area of low pressure. As we go through the course of this afternoon still some showers across the channel islands, one or two getting into the south west of england, some brighter skies, but some parts, for example, parts of east anglia could hang on to the fog for much of the day. Then weve got rain coming in across wales, more persistent rain coming in across Northern England,
brighter skies in northwest scotland, but again, rain around that area of low pressure or showers and gusty winds as well, particularly across the northeast, the north and also the west of scotland. Now, through the rest of the afternoon, you can see how this system sinks a little bit further south. Still be some brightness ahead of it and also still some brightness in Northern Ireland and our temperature range, three to eight degrees. So feeling cold if youre stuck under any lingering fog. Now, as we head on through this evening and overnight, our system continues to sink south, taking its rain with it through wales, into the midlands, eventually pushing over towards the south and the east. So after a cold start to the night and also some mist and fog in parts of the southeast, youll find the temperatures will actually rise by the end of the night. And we could also see some patchy fog forming across southwest england and south wales as well. Now, as we head through tomorrow, we say goodbye to our first system. It takes its showers with it. There will be some showers following behind, but equally therell be some sunshine. And then weve got our next front coming into the west, bringing some
heavier rain to Northern Ireland, wales and south west england. Temperatures up on today, but still below average for the time of year. Now that system sinks off onto the near continent. Weve got a temporary ridge of High Pressure building across us, but there will still be some rain in the forecast, especially so across parts of Northern England, moving northwards into parts of scotland through the day with some hill snow. And as you can see, therell be quite a lot of cloud around as well. But some brighter skies in the north and later in the south with highs up to ten or 11. This is bbc news. Im joanna gosling. The headlines at 11. 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab, following clinical approval. She was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. 800,000 doses are currently available in the uk with up to a million more expected by the end of the month. It was fine. I wasnt nervous at all. It was really good, yeah. She is protecting herself, but she is also helping to protect the entire country. And across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in scotland, Northern Ireland and wales, in england. People are having the vaccine
for the first time. Borisjohnson heads to brussels later this week for face to face talks saying a post brexit trade deal is looking very, very difficult at the moment. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. And coming up the archbishop of canterbury and the uk chief rabbi talk to us about grief and loss in the time of covid for National GriefAwareness Week. Good morning. Its being called v day by the Health Secretary the start of the biggest vaccination
campaign in the history of the nhs. 90 year old Margaret Keenan has become the first person in the world to be given the new covid jab, made by Pfizer Biontech, outside a clinical trial. Borisjohnson has called the rollout a huge step forward in the fight against the disease. The first order of 800,000 doses has already arrived at hospitals across the uk, ready to be given to people on the high priority list including the over 805, care home workers and nhs staff. 50 hospitals in england have been chosen as vaccination hubs sites where the jab will be administered. In scotland, there will be 23 vaccination sites, including all major hospitals and in the highlands. The Welsh Government is promising to administer 6,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of this week. And in Northern Ireland, where theres currently a two week lockdown, 25,000 doses of the vaccine have arrived. The firstjab has already been administered in belfast to a 28 year old nurse. This report from our correspondent keith doyle
contains flashing images. Im just going to put this in your arm, 0k . This is the moment the world has been waiting for. The first person to be vaccinated with the Pfizer Biontech vaccine as part of the Mass Vaccination Programme. 90 year old Margaret Keenan received the injection at University Hospital coventry and warwickshire this morning from matron may parsons. This simple injection marks the start of a Mass Programme aiming to protect the most vulnerable and return life to normal. Margaret, known as maggie, a grandmother from enniskillen in county fermanagh, has lived in coventry for 60 years. She is 91 next week and said this is the best early birthday present she could wish for. Just so strange. And so wonderful, really. Yeah, so. Anyway, this is for a good cause, so im so pleased i had it done. This is a terrible, terrible disease, so we do want rid of it. So anything that helps is a bonus, isnt it, really . Those first to receive the vaccine are, like margaret, over80, who are hospital patients, along with care workers. Two doses will be needed 21 days apart. It was really, really emotional. I cant tell you just how much emotion there was in that vaccination centre. This is a truly historic day. A turning point in this pandemic, another world first for the nhs. The start of the largest Vaccination Programme in our history. The second person to receive this vaccination was william shakespeare. I see those pictures of singh
margaret getting vaccinated. It looked such a small thing with a needle in her upper looked such a small thing with a needle in herupperarm, looked such a small thing with a needle in her upperarm, it was looked such a small thing with a needle in her upper arm, it was very straightforward and over in seconds but it is such an important moment in beating this disease. More than 60,000 people in the uk have died after being infected with covid. The vaccine will be given mainly in hospitals but soon gps and pharmacists will deliver it and teams will be sent into care homes. After receiving her vaccination and talking to the wells press, maggie was taken back to her word by nhs staff being clapped along the way. This hopefully marks the end of this pandemic but it will be many mans before everyone who needs it will get the vaccination. But until then the virus remains a threat to all of us. The Prime Minister, borisjohnson, says the rollout
of the vaccine will gradually make a huge difference, but stressed that the virus has not yet been defeated. Hes been visiting one of the hospitals administering the vaccine and spoke to one of the first people to receive the vaccine there. Very, very exciting just to talk to lynn about the vaccine that shes just taken. Shes 81, and really very moving to hear her say that shes doing it for britain. And thats exactly right, because shes protecting herself but shes also helping to protect the entire country. And across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in all in scotland, Northern Ireland and wales, in england, people are having the vaccine for the first time and it will gradually make a huge, huge difference. But i stress gradually because, you know, were not there yet. We havent defeated this virus yet and its very important for people to understand. Sorry, its quite hard to speak through this, but its important for people to understand that the virus is,
alas, still rising in some parts of the country. Its rising, for instance, in london. Weve got it down hugely as a result of the measures we took in november, which have just come off. People made a huge, huge effort. We cant afford to relax now. And so my message would be its amazing to see the vaccine coming out, its amazing to see this tremendous shot in the arm for the entire nation, but we cant afford to relax now. Well speak to correspondents across the uk now where vaccinations are underway. First our Health CorrespondentCatherine Burns is at University Hospital coventry. It is hard not to be moved watching those pictures of the first vaccination is being administered this morning. The atmosphere here todayis this morning. The atmosphere here today is something to. You cannot quite imagine it. There has been
steady parade of people with hope coming in, mainly elderly people coming in, mainly elderly people coming in. They look nervous when they come in but leave the smiles. Staff are saying that everyone is really grateful. This morning at 6 29am, Maggie Keenan got that first vaccination. She spoke to our Health Editor after. So, margaret, tell us, how was it . Well, it was fine. It was fine. I wasnt nervous at all. It was really good, yeah. Yeah, so. You are part of a moment of history, the first to receive this vaccine. How does that feel . It hasnt sunk in yet. I cant really answer that question yet. Its just really. I dont know what to say. 0verwhelming is just the first, really. And what do you say to those who might be having second thoughts about having this vaccine . Well, i would say go for it. Go for it, because its free. And its the best thing thats ever happened at the moment. So do please, go for it. Thats all i would say, you know. If i can do it, well. So can you, you know . This is a terrible, terrible disease. We do want rid of it, you know, so anything that helps is a bonus, isnt it, really . I dont know what else to say, really. Well, i think i will have a little rest afterwards when i go back to the ward. And then phone my family. Im going home this afternoon, so. Thats, thats it then. So. And the hospital were really, oh, they were wonderful. So im going to miss them, really. All the attention ive been getting. She doesnt look at but maggie is 90 and turning 91 next week and she said this was the best possible early birthday present she could ever have. And to make history at 90, who would have thought. There will be many vaccinations carried out in the weeks and months ahead. Talk us through the scale of it. How quickly will they administer these vaccines . The scale of this is immense, this will be the biggest Vaccination Programme we have ever undertaken. Although today feels massive, it is a slowjob. As a country we ordered a0 million doses of this particular vaccine. We do not have anything like that yet. The most Vulnerable People will have it rolled out, those over 80, some
front line Health Care Workers who are particularly vulnerable. Most people in that one group, most of those will not be seen until the new year. After that is to phase out, roll it out over the springtime until everyone over 50 with Serious Health conditions has been vaccinated. It is a great day but we have got a long, long stretch ahead of us. But today is about hope and we will hear from our other health correspondence who is in salford. Like you say, a great sense of excitement, hope, expect titian here in Greater Manchester which is one of those 70 have nhs hospitals where the vaccine are starting to be rolled out. Vaccinations began around 9 30am, first to front line nhs staff, the vaccinate is themselves. We want to make sure they are fit and healthy. Some of
they are fit and healthy. Some of the most vulnerable patients, those over the age of 80 and some outpatients as well who are visiting this hospital for treatment or for a checkup. They are also being vaccinated today. Also care home staff, at least for members and being vaccinated and over the coming days they hope to vaccinate more of those care home staff. We have learned so much over the last year or so learned so much over the last year or so that they are key to keeping people safe, particularly the people in theircare people safe, particularly the people in their care homes. Some key members of staff here as well, a consultant on the interests of care unit is being vaccinated this morning. They do not wanting to vaccinate entire teams in a one goal. The process takes about 15 minutes. They are given everything, given the vaccination and then takes about 15 minutes. They are then moved into a side room, to make sure they have no Adverse Reactions and
then they go about the rest of their day. So it is a straightforward process. It is began here in Salford Royal in manchester and also in Northern Ireland where i will hand over to my colleague chris page in belfast. Thank you dominic. Here in belfast. Thank you dominic. Here in belfast as right across the country there is a feeling that this is a really remarkable day. I am outside the Royal Victoria Hospital, Northern Irelands biggest hospital. This morning just after eight oclock, a nurse became the first person in Northern Ireland to receive the vaccine. She is 28. She will have a senior role in terms of organising the Vaccination Programme here. She said that she felt emotional after she received the jab, particularly what her colleagues in the nhs had been through over the 6 9 months. She
said she is feeling proud to be part of history. Like so many other people in the country she has had to postpone wedding plans because of the pandemic but she is planning to get married in april next year. She has a five year old daughter and she had not told what is going to be happening to her mum this morning but she was going to tell her later on today and make the point that this is a day that so many people of her generation, those younger and older, that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Northern ireland is 3 of the population of the uk, so it will get that proportion of the available vaccination. As well as the volunteer vaccinate is which the sister is one of. Other priority groups, care home residents and care home staff, Health Care Workers who are vulnerable to the virus, they will be given priority over the next
few weeks as the Vaccine Programme moves forward. The chief medical 0fficer here as president to see the first vaccination, making the point that of course this is a significant day and a symbolic date and a time that will give people hope that this pandemic is going to come to an end. There are still some really difficult man is lying ahead and he has spoken perhaps the end of march when the Wider Population may feel the effect of the vaccine in terms of restrictions being eased. Thank you very much chris page in belfast. The headlines on bbc news. 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan has becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab, following its clinical approval she was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. Borisjohnson will head to brussels later this week for face to face talks in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the post brexit trade negotiations. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed
Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. Talks to find a uk eu trade agreement from the start of next year are stuck in stalemate. Boris johnson will travel to brussels later this week in a bid to salvage a post brexit deal but neither side is expressing any optimism about breaking the deadlock. 0ur Political CorrespondentJessica Parker reports. They spoke again and again, couldnt break the deadlock, borisjohnson and the European Commission president , ursula von der leyen. So something different. Soon, the Prime Minister will travel to brussels in the coming days for a face to face meeting. Last year, the Prime Minister said that to leave with no deal would be a failure of statecraft. So this government must take responsibility for their failure if we are to leave without a deal. And, mr speaker, we will hold
the government to account whatever they bring back, deal or no deal. Reporter have you make progress . Already in brussels, the negotiating teams who foundereed on what are now some familiar differences fisheries, competition rules and how a trade deal would be enforced. Were still working very hard. The idea of compromise is discussed a lot. Workable solutions, it seems, harder to come by. Its not really about state aid, which is much lower here than in europe, or following eu social and environmental standards. Again, our domestic standards are way, way higher than what are required as a minimum by the eu. I think its more this reluctance completely to let go. They still want to have some oversight, some suzerainty. Last night, a senior uk government source said that while the process wasnt closed, things were looking very tricky, and that there was every chance an agreement would not be reached. No one has yet walked away, but nor have they found a way through. Jessica parker, bbc news. In a moment we will talk to our europe correspondent nick beake in brussels. First, to our Political Correspondent nick eardley at westminster. Is the Prime Minister going to brussels this week as saying that a deal is more likely than may have been thought . It is the Million Dollar question today. The fact that borisjohnson is still prepared to have these conversations and to make that journey to talk, have these conversations and to make thatjourney to talk, does suggest thatjourney to talk, does suggest that there is still hope in downing street that somehow those big issues that are outstanding can be solved. Today we had lord frost and his european counterpart Michelle Barney talking about those issues that hadnt been resolved, writing them all down and putting them on paper
so the two leaders can discuss them in the dark when they do meet in brussels later this week. That will bea brussels later this week. That will be a big moment because i suppose at that point you go from the trade negotiations, crossing the tees and dotting the ice, clearing out what can be done with the mandates. This is now up to the politicians. Are they prepared to compromise. It is either side prepared to budge. Is there some sort of political agreement they could reach to get this trade agreement over the line. Have a listen to the Prime Minister on that this morning. Im always hopeful. Yes, im very hopeful. But ive got to honest with you, i think the situation at the moment is very tricky. I think that our friends have just got to understand that the uk has left the European Union in order to be able to exercise democratic control over the way we do things. And then theres also the issue of fisheries where were a long way apart still. But, you know, hope springs eternal, and ill do my best to sort it out if we can. But i want to stress one thing, which is very, very important. I think people need to realise that whatever happens, its going to be different from january the 1st. Whatever kind of deal we get, whether its going to be like australia or like canada, theres going to be change, and businesses and people need to get ready for that change. I hope everybody understands that. Will you keep trying for a deal right up until the wire . Yeah, of course. Were always hopeful. But there may come a moment when we have to acknowledge that its time to draw stumps, and thats just the way it is. But, you know, we will prosper mightily, as ive always said, under any version. Really interesting hearing Boris Johnson talking about change there and business having to be ready. 0ne of the big criticisms of the government is that at the moment
businesses cannot prepare because they do not know if there will be a new trading arrangement based on a deal which they have to get ready for or whether it will be no trade deal which potentially for businesses who at the moment trade with European Union. That is one of the criticisms we have been hearing from opposition parties. Because they push him around, talking about, you know, bidding him and all of that sort of stuff that you hear from them. So hes got to do something about that. They are dragging him along on some of this but he did tell the british people that he was, that he had offered them deal, that he would get a deal. That was why he was put in that place, in that position. So he should deliver on his promise to the british people and get a deal. Thats whats in the national interest. Dont underestimate how big the differences are. The solitary issue is one that downing st says is absolutely critical. 0n the other
hand, one of big priorities is to keep the Single Market controlled. That means that in some ways that is the ultimate issue to resolve. It has gone through these trade talks for weeks and weeks now, nothing has been solved. It is now down to the politicians and that should become clearly later this week. 0ur europe correspondent nick beake is in brussels. Both sides repeatedly talking about how difficult it is to do a deal. Neither side are saying they are desperate to get one done. Implying that they are both happy to walk away. In the end, what do you think is the real appetite there in brussels for a deal and how likely is when looking . I think we can say that they are sincere, the people who will say in public from the brussel say that they want a deal. I think they believe the economic it will be too great to deal with. Borisjohnson who uses the phrase, the uk would prosper mightily. You do not hear people from paris are balancing the same of european capitals if there is no deal. Lord frost, the chief negotiator in the uk side will be meeting his counterpart. Trying to go through the talks today, they are doing a stock take. They are going to work out where they could agree, Boris Johnson and the European Union when they meet later this week. In terms of reaction to the fact that the Prime Minister is coming here at all, it has been pretty muted i would suggest because people see this as being a trip largely for the domestic consumption, for tv bulletins back in the uk and the newspapers. And i think what is concerning to a lot of people here in brussels, they do not know why borisjohnson has in brussels, they do not know why Boris Johnson has embarked in brussels, they do not know why borisjohnson has embarked on this. Is it to declare victory at the last
minute, was it to say he came here and he saw the eu is being com pletely and he saw the eu is being completely unreasonable and so for the right reasons he stepped back and he has taken written along a path that means the country will be able to prosper mightily. Thank you very much. Lets get the thoughts now of. Doctor Clair Gammage who is a senior lecturer in law at bristol university. I want to go through with you with the specifics of the outstanding area so we can get our heads around them. In terms of this as a legal job, putting the politics aside for the moment, the business of drafting what is agreed and the scale of it. Just explain to us what is being done behind the scenes, what that will look like in terms of the stack of paperwork as well. It is over 1000 pages long. What we see in negotiations is it takes years to
negotiate. Typically because it goes through various phases of what we call legal scrubbing when you have a deal in place you then have to go through with your legal teams and make sure the language is satisfactory to the both sides. What we are witnessing at the moment is the that it is extraordinary. Both sides will need to be really careful in the way that they present themselves because this sends a signal to other trade partners about how they might proceed in trade negotiations in future. On that point, we have already had here the trade will with borisjohnson saying we need to have a clause that will allow us to potentially overwrite a pa rt allow us to potentially overwrite a part of the Withdrawal Agreement because its not quite as as we intended it to be. Yes, again that is really quite extraordinary. Some of the most explicit statements i have ever seen where we are
committing breaches into International Law or in a limited way as they said. This is remarkable and something that is something unprecedented in trade negotiation. Isaid it unprecedented in trade negotiation. I said it would be good to get a clear understanding of what is yet to be agreed and drafted. The level Playing Field, just explain that. To be agreed and drafted. The level Playing Field, just explain thatm is something that we see in a trade negotiation with the eu. There are different areas that relate to their level Playing Field including stated or subsidies from the government to help support governments. So it helps support companies. We have labour standards, environmental standards, tariffs and taxation. These are the areas that are sticking points where the negotiators, particularly around state aid and subsidies to companies because this is one of the areas that in the internal market well, we are seeing specific limited breach of the agreement that has been
already made. The point of the level Playing Field is to ensure through potentially what we call non regression clauses, thats what the eu wants, is that the parties will commit to a minimum or a baseline level on these regulatory areas. In the uk wants more flexibility than that. 0k. And governance . Governance. They cant at the moment agree in the ways in which the agreement will be governed by dispute settlement for example. So ifa by dispute settlement for example. So if a breach arises in relation to any aspect of the agreement and particularly to a level Playing Field issues, how they gather in those areas of disconnect and disputes. That is another area we are seeing a lack of ability to reach negotiation on. These are such complicated and overarching areas that are still outstanding. Is it agreeing like one key point and Everything Else flows from that . Or
is it likely they have agreed the nitty grittier end at and it is a final aspect that has to be finally settled . Final aspect that has to be finally settled . It is very difficult to tell at this stage. We are hearing reports that there are 95 of the deal that has been agreed at the other 5 is really contentious. It isa other 5 is really contentious. It is a difficult area to negotiate on and there are different chapters within the Free Trade Agreement and trade deals that we will not have heard about, things like investment law. What we call investor state dispute settlement. That was one area that derailed the transatlantic trade and Investment Partnership between the eu and us. We are hopeful that in the next few weeks they will find a resolution one way or the other. We are hearing that mr barnier has said that he has met with david frost to prepare the next steps. That sounds like that
stock taking exercise they were going through and writing a list of the areas that they still have to work through. Just a final thought, as borisjohnson was saying earlier, whatever happens onjanuary as borisjohnson was saying earlier, whatever happens on january the 1st, there will be changes for all of us to get to grips with. These are not just changes in the way that we do things in terms of customary, it is by statute. It is legal change. How does that get disseminated because people properly understand what their obligations are, because obviously, not to do than would be to break the law . Absolutely. It will be interesting to see how the government plans to roll this out en masse in a way that is accessible to both large and small businesses. And ina way both large and small businesses. And in a way that we can all understand it as everyday people. Not all of us are it as everyday people. Not all of us a re lawyers it as everyday people. Not all of us are lawyers so it has to be done in are lawyers so it has to be done in a way that is accessible to people. There is no clarity yet on how they
plan to do that. I am sure they have a plan in place, but i am not privy to how they are planning to draw that out. Would you expect there to be some sort of. Not a transition period, we are not allowed to call it that. An implementation period . They could have provisional application to the agreement. It is application to the agreement. It is a tricky area but it is possible and i think if a deal is struck, it is likely to be provisionally applied through that period of time and we know they are talking about a six month period before anything comes in in terms of certain processes. Brilliant to pick your brains. Thank you very much forjoining us. Now its time for a look at the weather with carol kirkwood. Hello, again. We have had some dense fog once again this morning, particularly across the south eastern quadrant of england. Now most of this will live today but some of it into low cloud and in east anglia you might hang
onto it again, for much of the day. We have also got bands of showery rain rotating around an area of low pressure, affecting parts of scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England and wales. And gusty winds around is especially so with exposure. We are looking at a cold day and it will be a cold start to the night but as the system sinks south and east, the temperatures will rise and we will lose any mist and fog that forms in the south east but we could see some across parts of South West Wales and south west england. Tomorrow, the showery branch of rain to new to push off. More persistent rain will come in across Northern Ireland, wales and the south west. Temperatures up on today but still below average. Hello, this is bbc news with joanna gosling. The headlines 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan has becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab
following its clinical approval. She was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. It was fine. I wasnt nervous at all. It was really good, yeah. Borisjohnson will head to brussels later this week for face to face talks in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the post brexit trade negotiations. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. Coming up the archbishop of canterbury and the chief rabbi talk to us about the grief they have experienced for National GriefAwareness Week. Sport now and a full round up from the bbc sport centre. Good morning. From the bbc sport centre. Lots of football coming up this evening. Well get to the Champions League in a moment. In the championship, millwall and Queens Park Rangers players will link arms in a show of solidarity before kick off at the den. The teams will also display a banner to show their collective commitment towards efforts to rid the game of racism. It follows the booing of players at millwall when they took the knee over the weekend, something the fa are investigating, as well as a similar incident at colchester. Millwalls regular shirt sponsor will also be replaced with the logo of anti discrimination body kick it out. What they have come up with is something that they feel will create unity in their club and is a message that everyone can get behind. Now, i disagree with some of the objections to ta ke disagree with some of the objections to take any and i disagree with the compilation with other political movements that people have mischievously been making, but i have to accept that some people disagree with that and if this is
something that creates unity, we should be supporting it. Southampton came from behind to beat brighton 2 1 and move up to fifth in the premier league. They pulled themselves level at the amex stadium just before the break through janik vestergarrd. Then, withjust under ten minutes to go, this foul by solly march on Kyle Walker Peters saw them given a penalty, which danny ings scored to take the points. Paul pogbas agent says the frenchman is unhappy and needs a change of scene and the best solution would be for him to leave Manchester United in the january transfer window. Thats hardly what the club needs to hear ahead of a huge game in europe this evening. They need a point away at rb leipzig to be sure of reaching the last 16 in the Champions League. They are level on nine points with the german side, and also paris st germain. If united fail to progress, they would drop down into the europa league. It is something that we want, games like this. It is a tradition for
Manchester United. We never make it easy for ourselves, of course. We look at the games, especially the way game again since gamble, we could have taken three points, but thatis could have taken three points, but that is just the way we do things. We do make it hard for ourselves, that has been ever since i played ago, and that is a long, long time ago. Ago, and that is a long, long time ago. The former england captain Michael Vaughan says he can understand why tom curran and tom banton have opted to take a breakfrom cricket after months of living in bio secure environments. The england pair were due to play in the Big Bash League in australia, but opted out. Vaughan says bubble fatigue is something that selectors have to recognise. Tom banton didnt surprise me when he pulled out. Tom curran has done exactly the same. Just not willing to leave what has been that bubble in south africa to then go to south australia, have asked to be quarantine period. I was meant to be in australia this winter and i didnt go because i didnt want to put myself through that. If this
carries on for much longer, i think teams are not going to have two teams. A team that plays the t20, a tea m teams. A team that plays the t20, a team that plays the 50 overs, potentially three teams, team to place the test match. It is very difficult to keep them locked up as they have done. Just one other cricket line. The one day series against south africa was called off yesterday because of a number of coronavirus cases. The two tests england were waiting on have come back negative, so the touring party will all be able to return home together on thursday. All the details of that story on the bbc sport website. German prosecutors have insisted they are building a compelling case against the man they suspect of murdering Madeleine Mccann, who disappeared during a family holiday to portugal in 2007. The convicted child sex offender christian b was identified as a suspect six months ago
but he has not yet been charged. 0ur berlin correspondent jenny hill has more. Its six months since german detectives made a dramatic revelation. Madeleine mccann, they believe, was kidnapped and killed by a convicted german paedophile. After this tv appeal, they received hundreds of tip offs about christian b, who is in a germanjailfor drug smuggling and the rape of a tourist in the algarve. But they still dont have enough to charge him. Even so, this prosecuter told us, they are sure theyve got their man. Translation if you knew the evidence we have, you would come to the same conclusion as i do but i cant give you details because we dont want the accused to know what we have on him. These are technical considerations. The six month investigation has yielded new evidence of other alleged crimes. Christian b lived here in portugal on and off for years. Prosecutors now believe he committed at least three other sex crimes here, two of them against children. He may be charged early
next year, but progress in Madeleine Mccanns case is slower. Translation i cant promise, i cant guarantee that we have enough to bring a charge but im very confident because what we have so far doesnt allow any other conclusion at all. There have been so many false leads, so many empty hopes, and still the family waits to find out what happened to their little girl. Jenny hill, bbc news. The nhs has begun its mass covid Vaccination Programme, with a 90 year old grandmother becoming the first person to get the jab at a hospital in coventry. An inital batch of 800,000 doses from pfizer will be administered to hospital staff, care homes and people aged 80 and above over the next few weeks. Dr Nikita Kanani is a gp and is medical director for primary care at nhs england and nhs improvement. She was at croydon University Hospital as the first jabs were given there this morning. I have to admit, im feeling very emotional today. It is really quite remarkable. We, less than a year ago, were treating the first patient with covid and we are now able to give a vaccine. The team has been incredible. We have had estates and logistics and all sorts of people involved in trying to get this vaccine to people here today. In croydon, i know it has been a real pan croydon effort to make sure that the first person vaccinated, george, got his vaccine safely and was the first person to get it in the local area. It is absolutely brilliant. People have been working 2a 7 to make sure that this safe and effective vaccine, the vaccine that has been signed off and approved by mhra, can be given safely out in hospitals and, in the future, in general practice and Community Pharmacies because what we want to make sure is that as many people as possible are vaccinated, but that is going to take some time. It is a marathon, not a sprint. So while you are waiting to be called for your vaccine, please keep following the social distancing rules, wearing your mask, washing your hands, keeping your space, so that can keep you safe until you get the vaccine. Now its time for your questions answered. Well answer your questions on the vaccine roll out. Im joined by dr sarah jarvis, gp and clinical director of patientaaccess. Com. We have so many questions. We get such different questions every time, really specific, as well. We will try to get through as many of them as we can. If you are asks, the
amount has been triple 61. We have been shielding since march. When will be able to the vaccine . It depends what group are in. You will probably be in the clinic the extremely vulnerable group. If you had a letter asking you to shield at the start of the pandemic you should be very near the top of the list. Theoretically, people in care homes or at the top of the list, but there are practical issues and rolling it out. Well says they will do that until they have a different vaccine. Scotla nd until they have a different vaccine. Scotland will do it next week, england will be a little bit later. Initially, the over 805, nhs staff, ca re initially, the over 805, nhs staff, care home staff, people who work on the nhs front line as well as people who are extremely clinically vulnerable. They will be invited with anybody over 70. It will be a few more weeks. Robin sets that i have a vaccination in third near future, with any subsequent top up
have to also be a facer vaccine . We do know that yet. It is entirely possible. There is no reason that you couldnt have our different kind of vaccine next year if it is needed. The standard dose and booster dose will be given 21 day for the facer vaccine. Dave wants to know if my 83 year old high risk pa rent know if my 83 year old high risk parent has a hospital appointment this week, will she be offered the vaccine . She should be, if there is no reason for her not to have it and as long as she is one attempting a hospital, one of the 53, that is rolled out in the first wave. 0n hospital, one of the 53, that is rolled out in the first wave. On my twitter feed there is a list of all the hospitals in the first wave. 0ur people getting letters . He should be. If you go into hospital and have an appointment and you are over 80,
you have a good chance of being asked what should be happening, in the wider skill people will be notified and either be told that they can have it at the national help, or next week 280, shortly after that 1,000 general practice hub sites will also be providing the vaccine, and they will be sending letters out to people. Helen asked, our front line doctors and nurses receiving the vaccine in the First Tranche . Pretty close to the top of the First Tranche. First is a care home staff and residents, after that is over 805 and health and social ca re is over 805 and health and social care board is over 805 and health and social ca re boa rd staff. Is over 805 and health and social care board staff. Because of those issues are highlighted by getting the vaccines into care homes, because this facer vaccine needs to because this facer vaccine needs to be stored at 70 and can only be taken out and split up so many times, could well be that health and social care board staff will be first. Very briefly, is it possible to have an indication on when the
different tiers will be gone through, how long it will take to go through, how long it will take to go through each group . No, it is a vast undertaking. There are 10 Million People in the first three tiers alone. The sooner we get a choice of vaccines, because the limiting factor at the moment is probably going to be the number of vaccines we have. We have 800,000 apparently common, but i think we would be lucky to get 10 million by the end of the year, which is enough to vaccinate 5 Million People. Victoria asks how can we be sure it is free of long term side effects . The vast majority of vaccines dont have long term side effects. The only reason why we find out about very rare side effects is when we do royalties vaccines out to millions people. It is completely standard to rolo to vaccine on the basis of
studies of 30,000, a0,000 people. The reason this vaccine has been created so quickly are, firstly, because china made the genetic fingerprint of the vaccine available to the entire scientific world free in january. That to the entire scientific world free injanuary. That often takes months. Then money was thrown at companies to create these, and these trials, because they are so comprehensive. They are very expensive. Thirdly, they were able to build on research that has been done on rabies, malaria, and vaccines for all those different things. They have a lot of research off the shelf they could adapt much more quickly. Normally it ta kes a adapt much more quickly. Normally it takes a long time to get enough people into a trial. In this time we had 330,000 people in the uk alone he signed up for trials. Then, after the trials are finished, then you have to wait for a certain number of people to actually get the virus,
but covid is so prevalent that happened very quickly. We have been preparing to do this review for six months. It is not a question of taking longer than it should, its just that they have been able to run the different streams at the same time. Mike asks her why does the window for receiving their second vaccine jab, what will happen to those who miss it . It is a good question and we dont know for certain. For the facer vaccine it should be at three weeks, for the astrazeneca when it should be had for weeks. Itll probably end up in four weeks for both, which is fine. If you miss one, you dont restart the course, you just give it, so we certainly have a few weeks leeway. Why arent more care home visitors vaccinated . If we vaccine all staff and visitors to a care home it is most likely that care home residents
should be protected from infection . The staff are the ones who are having there was contact with them. The practicality of getting all care home visitors vaccinated would be huge and i think in terms of the number of lives saved, i dont think it would be as great, so in the meantime i think we will have to stick with the care home staff, who cannot socially distance, and get other visitors to socially distance, possibly to get a test before they 90, possibly to get a test before they go, and so on. That will save the most lives. Joe asked, once you have had the first vaccine, can you get covid when youre waiting for the second jab . Yes, you can get it. Itll probably be a few weeks after the second vaccination before your body has built full immunity. You would be treated in exactly the same way as anybody else who gets covid. What about people who have she refused to vaccine, will they be put to the bottom of the list . They
would not be on the list because they have been asked to be taken off it. They will be having discussions with their gps, hospital consultants to speak about why they are concerned and hopefully allay those concerns. As an 80yearold, i need to have a negative test result before i can fly away for christmas. Ami before i can fly away for christmas. Am i likely to test positive because the vaccine contains a smidge of the virus . No, you are getting the most unbelievably minuscule bit of the genetic code, so there is no question of your testing positive as a result of the vaccination. havent heard much about the side effects of this vaccine, but i read about a nurse from the United States who took part in the face trial and experience a headache, nausea, chills and fever. Are these common side effects . Nausea, chills and fever. Are these common sideeffects . It depends what you mean by common. And anybody gets a vaccine it is common to get some
redness and soreness on the site and a low grade facer, to feel a bit tired because your body is building its own immune system. That is very much what we have seen with all the vaccine so far. Headache a cantata circuitry we have heard about. One person describes it as a severe hangover, but i think that is a small proportion. With a headache and tiredness, under one in 20 people got that. I have been on a vaccine trial, so i have a 50 chance of having had the real thing andi chance of having had the real thing and i had no side effects whatsoever, and neither did my husband. Which vaccine shall bear you own . It is one of the newer ones. I wasnt of the right age to go for the oxford trial, but i have been on the nova max trial and i hope that the results injanuary. Suzanne, she asked, can immunosuppressed people get the job . Yes, they not only should have it but they will be in one of those
high risk groups, so they will get it before other people of their age. There doesnt seem to be any concern about safety. We are concerned about is that people who are immunosuppressed not mind the same imminent immune response because their bodies wont respond in the same way in terms of building up antibodies. There is some talk in the future about possibly vaccinating people who live with someone vaccinating people who live with someone who is extremely clinically vulnerable, in other words previously on the shielding list. Thank you, doctor sharon jarvis. Previously on the shielding list. Thank you, doctor sharonjarvis. Sarah jarvis. With the number of deaths linked to coronavirus now over 60,000 in the uk, many bereaved families and friends will be mourning loved ones this christmas. A special service will take place later at st pauls to mark the end of National GriefAwareness Week. Justin webb spoke to the archbishop
of canterbury, justin welby, and the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom and commonwealth, ephraim mirvis, about the grief they experienced when they each lost a child. When i am asked how many children have you got . I say five because it avoids all kinds of complicated conversations. But we always think six. Both the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, and the chief rabbi, ephraim mirvis, lost their eldest child. Through their roles as religious leaders and also through the shared experience, theyve become close friends. Our experience has been that sometimes you arejust caught by surprise. There are days that are predictable and then there are other days when suddenly something happens, it happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and i suddenly thought, what would she be like . Joanna welby was seven months old when she died in a car crash in 1983. Ephraim mirviss daughter, leora died of cancer in 2011, aged 30, leaving behind a husband
and two children. In your case, archbishop, with your daughter it was sudden. In the case of your daughter, it was not, was it . Did that allow a period before she died . No two bereavements are the same. If anybody comes along and says, i know exactly what you are going through, they dont. Because grief is something personal. When one has suffered a deep loss, it is with one for the rest of ones life and one thinks of the person every single day. And there is sadness. I think the people around this country and around the world, more than a million dead around the world, this christmas there will be an empty chair and it will be painful. Deeply painful. I think id want to say be kind to yourselves,
give yourselves time, be honest about your grief and your loss, that you miss them. There is no harm in tears. Justin webb, bbc news. Daniel epstein is the rabbi of a synagogue in north london and also contributes to the all Party Parliamentary group for bereavement support. Thank you very much forjoining us. How hard has been in particular during this period for people unable to visit her dying loved one in hospital, unable to attend a proper funeral, and then having to in this time of social distancing and often isolation . Thank you very much. Good morning. It is incredibly difficult. As the chief rabbi just said, no two griefs are the same and if you compound that with the inability to grieve in the formal sense, in other words it was usually a case of being able to go through the motions, you would spend the last few moments, days, weeks with your loved one, and that in itself is traumatic. As you move through to all of the rituals which give people tremendous comfort, the funeral for the Jewish Community and other denominations, there is a concept of seven days where people would come round to your home, participate in prayers, bring you food, just sit in your living room and talk to you. That in itself has been immensely difficult because that is not possible. In the very few moments in between the lockdown author tier system or the roots of sex, we have these ingenious ways of trying to keep within the law that allowed people at least to meet individuals, so
people were throwing spreadsheets where they would then ask the community to writing their names and specific ten 50 minute time slots. You would come into their garden, set under a gazebo, this was kept to a tight schedule. Even the funerals, not having people at a funeral, the chief rabbi, the former chief rabbi, lord jonathan sacks, who passed away just 31 days ago was his funeral, we are marking his 30th day today, that in itself would have seen thousands and thousands of people at the funeral, yet it was just for the family of 30. That innate sense what is interesting, because it was a public figure thousands would have been there, maybe the fact that there was such an intimate gathering, it was almost a blessing for them to be able to grieve in that moment as they needed to, as the parents of the children and
grandchildren of the former chief rabbi, and not as the personality they had known so well. There are so many different ways to save. Ultimately, this week is about the importance of recognising that grief needs to be experienced properly in order to move through it, otherwise it doesnt go away. It needs to be put to bed, as it were, in a way that gives you a chance to move forward in life. Without that, people are finding it incredibly difficult. We are not, it seems, i dont know if it is just this country or everywhere, not being able to handle grief, our own perhaps, but also the grief of others. 0ne perhaps, but also the grief of others. One thing to say the right thing, not having these conversations about how you deal with somebody else he is in pain. It is obviously an important week that we have had here, focusing on it. It
is important to have the ongoing conversation, isnt it . Is important to have the ongoing conversation, isnt it . Yes, very much so. Grief Awareness Week is about that, trying to help people understand how best to grieve. Sometimes, as you say, it is a sense of not knowing what to say. You see that somebody has lost a close relative or god forbid, a child, or somebody has experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth. The first you feel is to go and save them and there is nothing to say. In any case you prefer not to see that because it is so uncomfortable. What we are trying to say is that grief is not having the perfect words to say, because nobody has not. What people wa nt because nobody has not. What people want in many cases is for you just to be there. One of the most beautifuljewish laws is when you go to one of these prayers, or to see somebody creeping within the first g days, jewish law says you should not
initiate the conversation, you should sit in silence and wait until the person starts talking to you. That is an incredibly powerful idea, giving people the space to just acknowledge that youre there, and then to be able to start whatever they wish to say, it could be an outburst of sobbing, just a wonderful story, you could just be it is nice to see you. Not being afraid to engage with people who have lost someone. I think it is important to know, this is the only thing that is guaranteed in life, that life at some point will and, at least life in a physical sense will end, then you start the extraordinary process of realising that life goes on, a sense of Walking Around knowing that the person you may have lost phil stays with you, in our case. Thank you so with you, in our case. Thank you so much forjoining us. Thank you. Now its time for a look
at the weather with carol kirkwood. Hello, again. We have had some dense fog once again this morning, particularly across the south eastern quadrant of england. Now most of this will live today but some of it into low cloud and in east anglia you might hang onto it again, for much of the day. We have also got bands of showery rain rotating around an area of low pressure, affecting parts of scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England and wales. And gusty winds around is especially so with exposure. We are looking at a cold day and it will be a cold start to the night but as the system sinks south and east, the temperatures will rise and we will lose any mist and fog that forms in the south east but we could see some across parts of South West Wales and south west england. Tomorrow, the showery bands of rain to new to push off. More persistent rain will come in across Northern Ireland, wales and the south west. Temperatures up on today but still below average. This is bbc news. The headlines 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab, following clinical approval. Applause. She was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. 800,000 doses are currently available in the uk with up to a million more expected by the end of the month. It was fine. I wasnt nervous at all. It was really good, yeah. She is protecting herself, but she is also helping to protect the entire country. And across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in all scotland, Northern Ireland and wales, in england, people are having the vaccine
for the first time. Borisjohnson heads to brussels later this week for face to face talks saying a post brexit trade deal is looking very, very difficult at the moment. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. The archbishop of canterbury and the uk chief rabbi talk to us about grief and loss in the time of covid for National GriefAwareness Week. And 2a hours on from completing seven marathons in seven days the Rugby League LegendKevin Sinfield has now raised more than £2 million to help tackle motor neurone disease. Good afternoon. Its being called v day by the Health Secretary the start of the biggest Vaccination Campaign in the history of the nhs. 90 year old Margaret Keenan has become the first person in the world to be given the new covid jab, made by Pfizer Biontech, outside a clinical trial. Borisjohnson has called the rollout a huge step forward in the fight against the disease. The first order of 800,000 doses has already arrived at hospitals across the uk, ready to be given to people on the high priority list including the over 805, care home workers and nhs staff. 50 hospitals in england have been chosen as vaccination hubs sites where the jab will be administered. In scotland, there will be 23 vaccination sites, including all major hospitals and in the highlands. The Welsh Government is promising to administer 6,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of this week. And in Northern Ireland, where theres currently a two week lockdown, 25,000 doses of the vaccine have arrived. The firstjab has already been administered in belfast to a
28 year old nurse. This report from our correspondent keith doyle contains flashing images. Im just going to put this in your arm, 0k . This is the moment the world has been waiting for. The first person to be vaccinated with the Pfizer Biontech vaccine as part of the Mass Vaccination Programme. 90 year old Margaret Keenan received the injection at University Hospital coventry and warwickshire this morning from matron may parsons. This simple injection marks the start of a Mass Programme aiming to protect the most vulnerable and return life to normal. Margaret, known as maggie, a grandmother from enniskillen in county fermanagh, has lived in coventry for 60 years. She is 91 next week and said this is the best early birthday present she could wish for. Just so strange. And so wonderful, really. Yeah, so. Anyway, this is for a good cause, so im so pleased i had it done. This is a terrible, terrible disease, so we do want rid of it. So anything that helps is a bonus, isnt it, really . Those first to receive the vaccine are, like margaret, over80, who are hospital patients, along with care workers. Two doses will be needed 21 days apart. It was really, really emotional. I cant tell you just how much emotion there was in that vaccination centre. This is a truly historic day. A turning point in this pandemic, another world first for the nhs. The start of the largest Vaccination Programme in our history. The second person to receive this vaccination was william shakespeare. Across the uk, vaccinations have started at 70 hospital hubs. Watching those pictures of margaret getting vaccinated. It looked such a small thing with a needle in her upperarm, it was very straightforward and over in seconds but it is such an important moment in beating this disease. More than 60,000 people in the uk have died after being infected with covid. To start with, the vaccine will be given mainly in hospitals but soon gps and pharmacists will deliver it and teams will be sent into care homes. After receiving her vaccination and talking to the worlds press, maggie was taken back to her word by nhs staff being clapped along the way. This hopefully marks the end of this pandemic but it will be many months before everyone who needs it will get the vaccination. But until then the virus remains
a threat to all of us. Keith doyle, bbc news. The Prime Minister, borisjohnson, says the rollout of the vaccine will gradually make a huge difference, but stressed that the virus has not yet been defeated. Hes been visiting one of the hospitals administering the vaccine and spoke to one of the first people to receive the vaccine there. Very, very exciting just to talk to lynn about the vaccine that shes just taken. Shes 81, and really very moving to hear her say that shes doing it for britain. And thats exactly right, because shes protecting herself but shes also helping to protect the entire country. And across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in all in scotland, Northern Ireland and wales, in england, people are having the vaccine for the first time and it will gradually make a huge, huge difference. But i stress gradually because, you know, were not there yet. We havent defeated this virus yet and its very important for people to understand. Sorry, its quite hard
to speak through this, but its important for people to understand that the virus is, alas, still rising in some parts of the country. Its rising, for instance, in london. Weve got it down hugely as a result of the measures we took in november, which have just come off. People made a huge, huge effort. We cant afford to relax now. And so my message would be its amazing to see the vaccine coming out, its amazing to see this tremendous shot in the arm for the entire nation, but we cant afford to relax now. The first vaccine was administered at University Hospital coventry and our Health CorrespondentCatherine Burns described the atmosphere there this morning. The atmosphere here today is something to. You cannot quite imagine it. There has been steady parade of people with hope coming in, mainly elderly
people coming in. They look nervous when they come in but leave with smiles. Staff are saying that everyone is really grateful. This morning at 6 29am, Maggie Keenan got that first vaccination. She spoke to our Health Editor after. So, margaret, tell us, how was it . Well, it was fine. It was fine. I wasnt nervous at all. It was really good, yeah. Yeah, so. You are part of a moment of history, the first to receive this vaccine. How does that feel . It hasnt sunk in yet. I cant really answer that question yet. Its just really. I dont know what to say. Its overwhelming is just the first, really. And what do you say to those who might be having second thoughts
about having this vaccine . Well, i would say go for it. Go for it, because its free. And its the best thing thats ever happened at the moment. So do please, go for it. Thats all i would say, you know. If i can do it, well. So can you, you know . This is a terrible, terrible disease. We do want rid of it, you know, so anything that helps is a bonus, isnt it, really . I dont know what else to say, really. Well, i think i will have a little rest afterwards when i go back to the ward. And then ill phone my family. Im going home this afternoon, so. Thats, thats it then. So. And the hospital were really, oh, they were wonderful. So im going to miss them, really. All the attention ive been getting. She doesnt like it but she is 90 and turning 91 next week. She said it is the best early birthday present she could have. And making history at the age of 90. She has made history today, there will be many vaccinations and then months and weeks ahead. Talk us through the scale of it, how quickly will they be able to administer these vaccines . The scale of this immense. This will be the biggest Vaccination Programme we have undertaken. Although today feels massive, it is a slow start compared to the job ahead of us. We have ordered a0 million doses of this vaccine, we do not have anything like that yet, hundreds of thousands at the moment. What will happen initially, the most Vulnerable People will be targeted, people over 80, care home staff and some front line care health line
workers. Some of those will not be seen workers. Some of those will not be seen until the new year. After that the plan is to phase out, roll out over the springtime until everyone over the springtime until everyone overfor over the springtime until everyone over for the less Serious Health conditions has been vaccinated. So it isa conditions has been vaccinated. So it is a great day but we have got a long, long stretch ahead of us. Lets go round the country to find out more how the Vaccination Programme will roll out today. Lets start with our Health CorrespondentDominic Hughes whos at the Salford Royal hospital. How is it being rolled out there . Vaccinations here started at about half past nine. Most of the people who have been vaccinated are either nhs workers, front line workers, you vaccinate the vaccinators first. You wa nt vaccinate the vaccinators first. You want them to be fit and healthy before they deliver their dose. Some inpatients have been vaccinated, those over 80 who we know sadly are
one of the many things that we have learned during the course of this pandemic is that they are extremely vulnerable to this virus. Those people over 80 who are inpatients in the hospital where the first people to be vaccinated, as well as some inpatients who may be visiting the hospitalfor some inpatients who may be visiting the hospital for some appointments. Some members of staff, i know an intensive care consultant has been vaccinated. They are not vaccinating entire teams at once, they are vaccinating members from different teams, spreading it out. It is those who are over 80, key nhs front line staff and workers from care homes. I know a few local care homes have sent their staff year to date to be vaccinated because the other thing we have learnt is that the people in ca re we have learnt is that the people in care homes need that extra protection as well. How have they picked out the team members who are going to get vaccinated, it has it been a blind draw, what have they
done . As i said they try not to vaccinate entire teams all at once. They are taking different people from bits of the hospital, it is front line staff who are most exposed to what you might call patient contact. That is notjust clinical staff, that could include porters who need to get close to patients in order to move them from place to place, maybe from an award to an operating theatre to have an x ray. It is those staff who are closest to patients who have that face to face contact with patients, they are the ones that lay amongst they are the ones that lay amongst the staff, who are being vaccinated first. Then obviously these older patient that we know are vulnerable. Thank you very much, dominic. An historic day, those first vaccinations being rolled out in the first person to get the vaccine today was 19 year old Margaret Keenan. 19 year old. At 90. Today was 19 year old Margaret Keenan. 19 year old. At 90. Thank you for your company. You are watching bbc news. The headlines on bbc news 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan has becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab, following its clinical approval she was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. Borisjohnson will head to brussels later this week for face to face talks in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the post brexit trade negotiations. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. Sport now and a full round up, from the bbc sport centre. Heres 0llie. Good afternoon. Millwall and Queens Park Rangers players will link arms in a show of solidarity before kick off in their championship game at the den this evening. The teams will also display a banner to show their collective commitment towards efforts to rid the game of racism. It follows the booing of players at millwall when they took the knee over the weekend, something the fa are investigating, as well as a similar incident at colchester. Millwalls regular shirt sponsor will also be replaced with the logo of anti discrimination body kick it 0ut. What they have come up with is something that they feel will create unity in their club and a message that everyone can get behind. Now, i disagree with some of the objections to take a knee. I disagree with the conflation with other political movements that people have mischievously been making, but i have to accept that some people disagree with that and if this is something that creates unity, we should be supporting it. Paul pogbas agent says the frenchman is unhappy and needs a change of scene, and the best solution would be for him to leave Manchester United
in the january transfer window. Thats hardly what the club needs to hear ahead of a huge game in europe this evening. They need a point away at rb leipzig to be sure of reaching the last 16 in the Champions League. They are level on nine points with the german side, and also paris st germain. If united fail to progress, they would drop down into the europa league. The former england captain Michael Vaughan says he can understand why tom curran and tom banton have opted to take a breakfrom cricket after months of living in bio secure environments. The england pair were due to play in the Big Bash League in australia, but opted out. Vaughan says bubble fatigue is something that selectors have to recognise. Tom banton didnt surprise me when he pulled out. Tom curran has done exactly the same. Theyre just not willing to leave what has been that bubble in south africa to then go to australia, to have that two week quarantine period. I was meant to be in australia
this winter and i didnt go because i didnt want to put myself through that. If this carries on for much longer, i think teams are not going to have two teams. A team that plays the t20, a team that plays the 50 overs. Potentially three teams, a team to play the test match. If this carries on, it is going to be very difficult to keep them locked up as they have done. You can listen to more of that, on the tuffers and vaughan podcast. Just one other cricket line. The one day series against south africa was called off yesterday because of a number of coronavirus cases. The two tests england were waiting on have come back negative, so the touring party will all be able to return home together on thursday. All the details of that story on the bbc sport website. I will be backjust after the one oclock news. Talks to find a uk eu trade agreement from the start of next year are stuck in stalemate. Boris johnson will travel to brussels later this week in a bid to salvage a post brexit deal but neither side is
expressing any optimism about breaking the deadlock. 0ur Political CorrespondentJessica Parker reports. They spoke again and again, couldnt break the deadlock, borisjohnson and the European Commission president , ursula von der leyen. So something different. Soon, the Prime Minister will travel to brussels in the coming days for a face to face meeting. Last year, the Prime Minister said that to leave with no deal would be a failure of statecraft. So this government must take responsibility for their failure if we are to leave without a deal. And, mr speaker, we will hold the government to account whatever they bring back, deal or no deal. Reporter have you make progress . Already in brussels, the negotiating teams who foundered on what are now some familiar differences fisheries, competition rules and how a trade deal would be enforced. Were still working very hard. The idea of compromise is discussed a lot. Workable solutions, it seems, harder to come by. Its not really about state aid, which is much lower here than in europe, or following eu social and environmental standards. Again, our domestic standards are way, way higher than what are required as a minimum by the eu. I think its more this reluctance completely to let go. They still want to have some oversight, some suzerainty. Last night, a senior uk government source said that while the process wasnt closed, things were looking very tricky, and that there was every chance an agreement would not be reached. No one has yet walked away, but nor have they found a way through. Jessica parker, bbc news. 0ur Political Correspondent helen catt is at westminster. 0ur Political Correspondent
nick eardley is at westminster. It shows that Boris Johnson it shows that borisjohnson is prepared to set set down and try and thrash out some of the issues that the trade negotiators couldnt get through, those trade negotiators are meeting today in brussels to write down all of the things that they cannot resolve, to give to the politicians to try and work through. It is important. Because essentially this comes down to a question of political will. Are the eu or the uk prepared to make some sort of compromise to move towards the others position, to try and get this over the line and try and resolve those remaining issues. On the other hand, as you heard in the peace they are, optimism is in short supply and in brussels. There are many people think that this has gone on for some time will stop they have had to long phone calls where they
could not resolve these issues, so what makes them think that meeting face to face in brussels is going to make the difference . However, have a listen to the Prime Minister when he was asked about that this morning. Im always hopeful. Yes, im very hopeful. But ive got to honest with you, i think the situation at the moment is very tricky. I think that our friends have just got to understand that the uk has left the European Union in order to be able to exercise democratic control over the way we do things. And then theres also the issue of fisheries where were a long way apart still. But, you know, hope springs eternal, and ill do my best to sort it out if we can. But i want to stress one thing, which is very, very important. I think people need to realise that whatever happens, its going to be different from january the 1st. Whatever kind of deal we get, whether its going to be
like australia or like canada, theres going to be change, and businesses and people need to get ready for that change. I hope everybody understands that. Will you keep trying for a deal right up until the wire . Yeah, of course. Were always hopeful. But there may come a moment when we have to acknowledge that its time to draw stumps, and thats just the way it is. But, you know, we will prosper mightily, as ive always said, under any version. He is saying businesses need to get ready. 0ne he is saying businesses need to get ready. One of the big complaints we have heard is it is hard for businesses to get ready when they do not know what is going to happen, whether it will be a trade deal and they need to figure out new ways of doing things or whether there will be no trade deal. Which means for companies dealing with europe could substantial changes in the way the operate. 0pposition parties have been sent to the Prime Minister, the most important thing now is to get a
deal. But labours john most important thing now is to get a deal. But laboursjohn ashworth was critical this morning suggesting that the Prime Minister was thinking of their back bench brexiteers then getting a deal. Have a listen to this. Because they push him around, talking about, you know, bidding him and all of that sort of stuff that you hear from them. So hes got to do something about that. They are dragging him along on some of this but he did tell the british people that he was, that he had offered them deal, that he would get a deal. That was why he was put in that place, in that position. So he should deliver on his promise to the british people and get a deal. Thats whats in the national interest. So labour wanted deal, the Prime Minister says he wants a deal. The European Union says it wants a deal, it sounds simple. The reason it is still stuck is that the uk one sovereignty. It thinks it is one of the key reasons people voted for brexit. The European Union wants to protect the Single Market and. That is why it is that, it will take political intervention to make it and start if that is going to happen. Two things that have been short supply for the last four years when we have been talking about brexit are deadlines being met and absolute clarity about what is going to happen at the end. That will have to happen at the end. That will have to come soon to happen at the end. That will have to come soon because on to happen at the end. That will have to come soon because on the 31st of december things are going to change. Thank you very much. German prosecutors have insisted they are building a compelling case against the man they suspect of murdering german prosecutors have insisted they are building Madeleine Mccann who disappeared during a family holiday to portugal in 2007. The convicted child sex offender christian b was identified as a suspect six months ago but he has not yet been charged. 0ur berlin correspondent jenny hill has more. Its six months since german detectives made a dramatic revelation. Madeleine mccann, they believe, was kidnapped and killed by a convicted german paedophile. After this tv appeal, they received hundreds of tip offs about christian b, who is in a germanjailfor drug smuggling and the rape of a tourist in the algarve. But they still dont have enough to charge him. Even so, this prosecuter told us, they are sure theyve got their man. Translation if you knew the evidence we have, you would come to the same conclusion as i do but i cant give you details because we dont want the accused to know what we have on him. These are technical considerations. The six month investigation has yielded new evidence of other alleged crimes. Christian b lived here in portugal on and off for years. Prosecutors now believe he committed at least three other sex crimes here, two of them against children. He may be charged early next year, but progress in Madeleine Mccanns case is slower. Translation i cant promise,
i cant guarantee that we have enough to bring a charge but im very confident because what we have so far doesnt allow any other conclusion at all. There have been so many false leads, so many empty hopes, and still the family waits to find out what happened to their little girl. Jenny hill, bbc news. The number of deaths involving covid 19 passed 70,000 in the last week of november, with 3,371 of those deaths registered that week. This figure, from the office for national statistics, is higher than the daily figure for deaths since it includes deaths suspected to be caused by coronavirus. In hospitals, care homes, private homes and other locations the number of deaths was above the five year average. 0ur head of statistics, robert cuffe, explained the figures in more detail. There are 3,000, just under 3,400 in a single week. That is up by about 10 on the previous week. But that is much slower than the growth a couple of weeks ago,
we were seeing a growth of, you know, 30, ao , week on week for quite some time. So that growth has been slowing down. And when we look at the daily figures that are more up to date, we see that they kind of peaked out just below 3500 in a week around that time. So there is some hope that we are coming close to the peak of this wave. Of course there is. And we are seeing cases falling generally and we are seeing people going into hospital falling as well, but we are coming into christmas and we are anticipating a rise in infections there. Normal people was the most Popular Series on the bbc iplayer this year. The Television Adaptation of Sally Rooneys novel has been streamed more than 62 million times beating programmes such as killing eve and masterchef. The rise in people staying at home due to the pandemic led to record numbers of people watching shows on iplayer. Now its time for a look at the weather with carol kirkwood. Hello, again. We have had some dense fog once again this morning, particularly across the south eastern quadrant of england. Now most of this will lift today but some of it into low cloud and in east anglia you might hang onto it again, for much of the day. We have also got bands of showery rain rotating around an area of low pressure, affecting parts of scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England and wales. Gusty winds around us with exposure. We are looking at a cold day and a cold start to the night. Temperatures will rise and we should lose any mist and fog that forms in the south east that we could see some in parts of South West Wales and south west england. That should clear readily tomorrow. Tomorrow, the rain pushes off in the direction of the north sea. Hot on the heels, a drierand of the north sea. Hot on the heels, a drier and brighter slice with some sunshine but more persistent rain comes in across Northern Ireland, wales and the south west. Temperatures on today but still below average. Hello, this is bbc news with joanna gosling. The headlines 90 year old grandmother Margaret Keenan has becomes the first person in the world to receive the pfizer covid 19 jab following its clinical approval. She was given the vaccine at her local hospital in coventry. It was fine. I wasnt nervous at all. It was really good, yeah. Borisjohnson will head to brussels later this week for face to face talks in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the post brexit trade negotiations. German prosecutors say they remain convinced that a child sex offender known as christian b kidnapped and killed Madeleine Mccann, as they continue to build a case against him. 2a hours on from completing seven marathons in seven days, the Rugby League LegendKevin Sinfield has now raised more than £2 million to help tackle motor neurone disease. The nhs has begun its mass covid Vaccination Programme with a 90 year old grandmother becoming the first person to get the jab at a hospital in coventry. An inital batch of 800,000 doses from pfizer will be administered to hospital staff, care homes and people aged 80 and above over the next few weeks. Dr Nikita Kanani is a gp and is medical director for primary care at nhs england and nhs improvement. She was at croydon University Hospital as the first jabs were given there this morning. I have to admit, im feeling very emotional today. It is really quite remarkable. We, less than a year ago, were treating the first patient with covid and we are now able to give a vaccine. The team has been incredible. We have had estates and logistics and all sorts of people involved in trying to get this vaccine to people here today. In croydon, i know it has been a real pan croydon effort to make sure that the first person
vaccinated, george, got his vaccine safely and was the first person to get it in the local area. It is absolutely brilliant. People have been working 2a 7 to make sure that this safe and effective vaccine, the vaccine that has been signed off and approved by mhra, can be given safely out in hospitals and, in the future, in general practice and Community Pharmacies because what we want to make sure is that as many people as possible are vaccinated, but that is going to take some time. It is a marathon, not a sprint. So while you are waiting to be called for your vaccine, please keep following the social distancing rules, wearing your mask, washing your hands, keeping your space, so that can keep you safe until you get the vaccine. The woman hired to head the Vaccine Task Force is kate bingham, a biochemist who has 30 Years Experience investing in pharmaceuticals. She spoke to the today programme on radio a this morning. It actually tickled through sat. We are the first country to set the vaccination. The strategy that we took was to secure rights to seven different vaccines, because we, in may, did not know which of any of these would work, and up to 71 has been approved and we are dozing, to been approved and we are dozing, to be have phase three efficacy, so we would expect they will get approved, and two more in phase three trials with readouts next year. I am really pleased with the portfolio we have put together for the uk. Sean marret is the chief commercial officer of biontech, the firm that developed the vaccine. Hes been speaking to the bbcs today programme. We are absolutely delighted that the uk is vaccinating their first folk
today. It is striking that it is the uk that is first. You are a German Company, in partnership with the us pharmaceutical giant, pfizer. It is not just that the uk give pharmaceutical giant, pfizer. It is notjust that the uk give approval first, we were also the first country to buy your vaccine. Yes, thats right. The uk has been very rapid in buying the vaccine, in their discussions with us, and that has certainly facilitated the ability to provide the vaccine. Cant you still produce all that you hope for . We heard that there were some production issues, ratherfewer doses coming here than you had originally hoped . Yes, so i think the production schedule is dependent upon approval. We had originally assumed approvals earlier in the yearin assumed approvals earlier in the year in october and are planning, now they are coming in december, of
course. We still plan to produce up toi. 3 course. We still plan to produce up to 1. 3 billion doses over the next 12 months or so. Lets talk about the thing that most people care most passionately about, what this thing can do. It stops people getting seriously ill. 0ther can do. It stops people getting seriously ill. Other scientists at biontech giving you some sort of idea how long it be before they knew if it. The spread of coronavirus . That is too early to say at the moment. As you quite rightly said, what we can say is you take this vaccine and in 95 of cases you dont get symptoms and you are protected from symptoms. That is what we can say today. Of course, it isa what we can say today. Of course, it is a very interesting scientific question that you ask, and that is something that will be evaluating. The number of coronavirus cases in the United States is continuing to soar, with a million new infections in just five days. 15,000 people have died in the us from covid 19 in the past week and Health Officials fear the worst is still to come. More than 33 Million People in california are now subject to strict stay at home orders as the number of intensive care beds reaches a critical level in some hospitals. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes reports. Some of americas darkest days. Theres been a dramatic rise in the number of cases and deaths in several states. North and south dakota, texas and illinois are among the worst affected. Across the country, 10. 5 of coronavirus tests are coming back positive and in parts of california, the number is significantly higher. Here, stay at home orders are in force across much of the state. Health officials are bracing themselves for more cases following the thanksgiving holiday, when Many Americans travelled to see their families. And there are fears it could get far worse before the end of the year. When you look at thanksgiving,
thats a very brief period of time of travel and congregating. When youre talking about christmas, you go through christmas and hanukkah, you go through the week between christmas and new years, and then you have another celebration on new years. That extends that vulnerable period by two or three times what you do in thanksgiving. President trump is planning to sign an executive order to ensure that priority access for covid 19 vaccines procured by the Us Government is given to americans before assisting other nations. And the president elect, joe biden, has vowed that his administration will mobilise every resource of the government to combat the virus from day one of his term in office. Peter bowes, bbc news, los angeles. With the number of deaths linked to coronavirus now over 60,000 in the uk,
many bereaved families and friends will be mourning loved ones this christmas. A special service will take place later at st pauls to mark the end of National GriefAwareness Week. Justin webb spoke to the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, and the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, ephraim mirvis, about the grief they experienced when they each lost a child. When i am asked how many children have you got . I say five because it avoids all kinds of complicated conversations. But we always think six. Both the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, and the chief rabbi, ephraim mirvis, lost their eldest child. Through their roles as religious leaders and also through the shared experience, theyve become close friends. Our experience has been that sometimes you arejust caught by surprise. There are days that are predictable and then there are other days when suddenly something happens, it happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and i suddenly thought, what would she be like . Joanna welby was seven months old when she died in a car crash in 1983. Ephraim mirviss daughter leora died of cancer in 2011, aged 30, leaving behind a husband and two children. In your case, archbishop, with your daughter it was sudden. In the case of your daughter, it was not, was it . Did that allow a period before she died . No two bereavements are the same. If anybody comes along and says, i know exactly what you are going through, they dont. Because grief is something personal. When one has suffered a deep loss, it is with one for the rest of ones life and one thinks of the person every single day. And there is sadness. I think the people around this country and around the world, more than a million dead around the world, this christmas there will be an empty chair and it will be painful. Deeply painful. I think id want to say be kind to yourselves, give yourselves time, be honest about your grief and your loss, that you miss them. There is no harm in tears. Justin webb, bbc news. Vaccinations are being rolled out at seven sites across wales as part of the uk wide immunisation programme. Each of the seven Health Boards have been given 975 doses. The vaccinations come a day after wales reported 2,000 covid cases in a single day for the first time. Rates in some areas are among the uks highest. Meanwhile, our ireland correspondent chris page is at the Royal Victoria Hospital in belfast, where a nurse sister became the first person in Northern Ireland to receive the vaccine. Here in belfast, is right across the country, there is a feeling that this is a really remarkable day. I am outside the royal victoria
hospital in belfast, Northern Ireland was my biggest hospital, one of seven sites for the role it will be happening. This morning just after eight or class, and her sister, joanna sloan, became the first person in Northern Ireland to receive the vaccine. She is 28 and will have a senior role in organising the Vaccine Programme here in Northern Ireland past my capital. She said that she felt emotional after she received third jab, thinking of what your collea g u es jab, thinking of what your colleagues in the Health Service had been through. Lets cross to the house of commons where the Health Secretary, matt hancock, is answering a urgent question on the roll out of the covid 19 vaccine. This marks the start of the nhs pots macro kylian task to deploy the vaccine right across the uk in line with this finding mission to support people according to clinical need, not ability to pay. This simple act
of vaccination is a tribute to scientific endeavour, to human ingenuity and to the hard work of so many people. Today marks the start of the fightback against our common enemy, coronavirus, and well today isa enemy, coronavirus, and well today is a day to celebrate, there is much work to be done. We must all play our part in suppressing the until the vaccine can make us safe, and we can all play our parts and helping the nhs to deliver the vaccine across the country. This is a task with huge logistical challenges, like the need to store the vaccine at ultralow temperatures, the clinical need for each person to receive two doses 21 days apart and i know that the nhs will be equal to the task. I am sure we will do everything that we can, everything thatis everything that we can, everything that is humanly possible to make sure the nhs have whatever help they need. The first 800,000 doses of the
Pfizer Biontech vaccine are already here in locations around the uk and the next consignment is scheduled to arrive next week. This week we will vaccinate from hospitals across the uk, from next week we will expand expand deployment to start vaccinations by gps and we will vaccinate and care homes by christmas. As more vaccines come on strea m christmas. As more vaccines come on stream in the new year, we will open Vaccination Centres in larger venues like sports stadium and conference halls. People do not need to apply. The nhs will get in touch at the appropriate time. When that time has come, we have one clear request. Please step forward for your country. I want to thank all those involved, the International Team of scientists, the globally respected regular charity and hra, the task force, and all the volunteers who took part in the trial and all those who have come forward for vaccination so far, and all those who will do so in the future. Months
of trials involving thousands of people have shown that this vaccine works and is safe and by coming forward you are taking the best possible step to protect yourself, your loved ones and the nhs. Help is on its way and the endless insight, not just of this terrible on its way and the endless insight, notjust of this terrible pandemic, but of the onerous restrictions that have made this year so hard for so many. Even while we cannot see the way out, there is still a long march ahead. Lets not blow it now. There are worrying signs of the virus going in some parts of the country, including parts of essex, london and kent, and over the coming weeks and months we must all keep following the rules to keep people safe and make sure we can get through this safely together. The pictures today of 90 year old margaret keen receiving her vaccine, given by mae parsons, a nurse originally from the
philippines, is a wonderful moment, bring income to all of us that there is no light at the end of this very long tunnel and we are all beaming with pride for our nhs today. Can i put on record my thanks to all our nhs staff working so hard today, tomorrow and in the coming weeks and months in administering these jobs . Cani months in administering these jobs . Can i pay tribute to all our medical scientist, clinical researchers, regulators, trial participants who had made it a happen. We should applaud them on our doorsteps. Can i put a number of specific questions . Cani put a number of specific questions . Can i ask about those areas not with that designated hospital happier . Leicester has never really left locked down, impacting hugely on the well being of our people and the economic prospects of city. We have a high proportion of black, asian and minority ethnic communities who we know are more at risk. My constituents, leicester university,
the leicester leadership are all deeply disappointed not to see leicester on the hospital hot list. I have been lobbying the nhs about this over the last two days. Can he confirm when areas like leicester and other areas, currently without a hospital help, will get one . A local primary care Network Helps be announced, and when will the mass Vaccination Centress locations be announced . Vaccination centress locations be announced . And he assures that all Vaccination Centres will be accessible for those with disabilities . 0n the point about ca re disabilities . 0n the point about care homes, is it his anticipation that all care homes will have access to the vaccine by christmas . Of course we have to vaccinate nhs staff. Can he confirm that also include student nurses, medical students, physiotherapy student and so students, physiotherapy student and so on . What plans are in place to ensure harder to reach groups, like the homeless, have access to the
vaccine . He has also presumably seem to reports today on the Health Service journal that £567 to reports today on the Health Servicejournal that £567 million of requested funding for covid projects have been turned down . Can he gets ensured that the nhs gets solve the root the resources act requests . The tiers could be lifted by march. Can we receive daily updates on vaccination doses administered, and could not be by priority cohort . Can i ask about the plans are to tackle anti vaxxer harm online . I havejust been sent a video claiming that this is all a global plot to change our dna. This is garbage. How can we deal with it . This is a momentous day, and we can all look forward to
a much better 2021. We can all look forward to a much brighter 2021. We must stick with it for now, but we can see our way through this. We start today in vaccinating in 70 locations across the uk, and we will expand these locations over the coming days. Today we will set out the next tranche of hospital helps, including leicester, and vaccinations in leicester will start in the coming days. In terms of the access to the vaccine, of course we need to make sure that it is available to all, and that includes all with disabilities, and that includes our most Vulnerable People, like those who are sleeping rough. This will be best accomplished when we get the primary care Community Vaccination model rolled out, which
will be in the coming weeks. We need to make sure that the assurance of how you get the vaccine physically into the primary Care Networks can be assured is safe, because obviously that is one step more difficult than vaccinating from a hospital, hence why we have started in hospitals, and we will get out your primary care and community delivery, and then into the Vaccination Centres after the new year. He asks about nhs students. The definition of nhs and social ca re the definition of nhs and social care staff set out by the jcvi are those who are patient facing. We will set out more details in due course. Finally, he asked about the publication of data, the number of vaccines administered and according to what priority groups. It will set those details out when the
vaccinations have happened so that people can see how the programme has been assessed. 0verall, may ijoin the honourable gentleman and saying how wonderful it was to see the pictures on the tv this morning. Emotional, for many of us. I am delighted that we have been able to make this progress. Jeremy hunt. I would like to congratulate our scientists, the Health Secretary himself, the Vaccines Task force and nhs front line staff, all of whom have made this extraordinary day for our country possible. It is very, very cold outside and the question on many peoples mines is are they not able to book a summer holiday, so not able to book a summer holiday, so what it is his answer to that question, and is there anywhere in particular he would recommend if the a nswer particular he would recommend if the answer is yes . Mr speaker, it makes me very proud that we have managed
to get this Vaccination Programme started sooner than many people anticipated. People told me it was not going to be possible and that was all very difficult, and it has been, but we have got there and we have got there because of international science, working with german scientist, american pharmaceutical companies, people right around the world working on this project. I do have high confidence that the summer of 2021 will be a bright one, without the sort of restrictions that made the summer of 2020 more restricted. I have booked my holiday, i am going to cornwall. We believe the house of commons. Might hancock talking about the roll out of the fights are biontech vaccine, which has started to be administered from today. You can see more of that on bbc parliament. You can see more of that on bbc parliament. The Rugby League LegendKevin Sinfield has raised more than £2 million, smashing his £77,000
target, in his extraordinary effort to raise funds to tackle motor neurone disease. Yesterday, in 0ldham, he crossed the finishing line of his seven marathon in seven days, astonishingly all run underfour hours. He took on the challenge to support his friend and former leeds rhinos team mate rob burrow, who has motor neurone disease. Kevin sinfield completed each of the marathons in less than four hours. Lets remind ourselves of his incredible effort. Is it recording . Laughter when you decided to do this challenge i thought it was possible. Youve got a friend in me. Well done, kev. Youre doing amazing. Youve got really fast running legs. I remember when i played alongside you and thought youd never let your team down, and im sure youre not going to start now. You inspired a generation through your determination. To say its unbelievable is a bit of an understatement. You got a friend in me. Youre nearly as fast as my dad, but not quite. Laughter youve got troubles, ive got them too. I want to remember the good times. I want to try and get away from those dark moments. In its simplest form, im just trying to be a team mate. I know hed do it for me. Youve got a friend in me. If we can make their life a little bit better and a little bit more comfortable, thats a really good thing to do. Hes incredible, so i think for him to be here today. I had to carry on running. Id gone past, but i wont let you see me cry, again. Its me and you, boy. Well earlier my colleagues at bbc breakfast spoke to kevin
about his experience and doing it for his friend rob. I got into day one, and we were looking at each other thinking, have we bitten off more than we can chew . But we stuck with it. To actually get it done was brilliant. We just had a really good week, back in the team, the camaraderie was fantastic. It very much reminded me of being backin it very much reminded me of being back in the dressing room with rob, Jamie Peacock, danny mcguire, those players who had something really special. To get the text message of rob, when i woke up every morning, it was wonderful. Take get to finish it was wonderful. Take get to finish it yesterday was great. It com pletely it yesterday was great. It completely transformed in snowball throughout the week. Rob was front and centre and will always be front and centre and will always be front and centre and will always be front and centre of everything fundraising ways. The club at the minute, and anything that they will do will be
for rob. Lindsey, the kids, his mum and dad, there is such a beautiful family, as we know. We were very proud to wear the best with number seven on, but also to represent the mnd association. Just the work that they do with families who are faced with this challenge is unbelievable. Throughout the week, i was on a regular zoom with people, families who were fighting this as well, and to be able to understand how the mnd community got behind us, we felt they were all running with us yesterday. To understand the difference this money will make to all of those families, especially in the run up to christmas, we will provide a beautiful, which is brilliant. The first englishman to climb everest has died at the age of 79. Doug scott was in a team of british climbers which tackled the south west face of everest in 1975, regarded as one of mountaineerings most difficult challenges. He founded a charity to help people in the himalayas and raised thousands of pounds during the lockdown by climbing up and down his stairs at home. Now its time for a look at the weather. Hello, they are. We havent seen this much for around today but it has not gone away completelyjust yet. This was one part of the country that was foggy yesterday, but today, earlier on, we did have some welcome sunshine. Further north across the uk skies have looked a little different. We have had rain falling in many areas and a lot of cloud, too. Dominated by low pressure a cross cloud, too. Dominated by low pressure across northern parts of the uk. It has been windy at times with outbreaks of rain. Quite wet still over parts of north wales, north west of england, that rain is heading into the midlands this evening. Ahead of it the focal taken up evening. Ahead of it the focal taken up again across parts of east anglia, down to camp. That will lift later in the night. Showers will
follow on behind. Klee spells developing in Northern Ireland, wales and the south west. Maybe a few pockets of rostering around here in the odd icy patch. Generally speaking, of the night temperatures will be above freezing. Tomorrow morning will look different across east anglia and the south east, mao took a chance of some rain. Tablets away and we are left with some change and a few showers, especially for eastern areas. I took the west, we have them coming into Northern Ireland, western wales and the west, we have them coming into Northern Ireland, western wheels and a south west later on. Ahead of it, temperatures typically add six or seven. The winds should be lights. The weather system coming in from the atlantic will knock at the eastern areas, it tends to and the weather from bringing it eastern areas, it tends to and the weatherfrom bringing it gets eastern areas, it tends to and the weather from bringing it gets cut into, with rain dripping sites which away from the uk, and brain stark and western parts of scotland. For many places it will be dry and cloudy. There could be a few pockets of light rain or drizzle in eastern
coastal areas and temperatures here only five or 6 degrees. I took the west, nine or ten, with more rain arriving in Northern Ireland by the end of the day. Another weather system heading our way, this one has stronger winds, but the heavier of the rain will move its way into france, where the warmest of the air will push away. We are left with a lot of cloud on friday. There will be of mainly right like rain or drizzle, sunshine will be limited. It could well lighten up in Northern Ireland, wales and the far south west later. Temperatures six or seven. A historic day in the global fight against coronavirus 90 year old Margaret Keenan is the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer Vaccine outside trials. So begins the biggest Vaccination Campaign in the history of the nhs. Were live across the uk as hundreds follow in margarets footsteps. Id say, go for it. Go for it because its free and its the best thing thats ever happened. At the moment. So do, please go for it, thats all i say, you know . If i can do it, so can you. It was really, really emotional. I cant tell you just how much emotion there was in that vaccination centre. This is a truly historic day, a turning point in this pandemic