And our health editor. Also this lunchtime 55 million go into the strictest tiers in england, as new restrictions replace the Second National lockdown. Hello, darling when did we last cuddle . February. At last, a hug for loved ones, as care homes prepare to give covid tests to visitors. After 266 long days, the return of fans to English League football is finally here, but the number of supporters is limited. And coming up on bbc news british driver George Russell says hes unbelievably grateful to williams and mercedes, after being confirmed as Lewis Hamiltons replacement for this weekends sakhir grand prix. Good afternoon, and welcome to the bbc news at one. help is on its way the words used by the health secretary, matt hancock, on the news that the uk has become the first country in the world to approve a Coronavirus Vaccine for widespread use. The firstjabs could be given within days for those who need it most, like nhs staff, care home workers and residents. The uk has already ordered a0 million doses, enough to vaccinate 20 Million People, with the first 800,000 arriving in the coming days. 95 effective, the Pfizer Biontech vaccine is the fastest ever to go from concept to reality, taking only ten months to follow the same steps that normally span a decade. The medicine regulator says no corners have been cut. Now the country prepares for one of the biggest civilian projects in history. 0ur Health Correspondent, jim reed, reports. Another crucial hurdle cleared, as the world tries to get back to normal. This time next week, these vaccines made by the Drugs Companies biontech and pfizer will be available to people in this country. It came as the medicines regulator gave the green light for the jab to be rolled out nationwide. The vaccine will be made available gcioss vaccine will be made available across the uk from next week. I would like to pay tribute to and to thank all those who have made it possible. It is the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get our economy moving again. The uk regulator the mhra says the pfizer jab, which offers up to 95 protection against the covid i9 illness, is now safe to begin a full roll out after giving emergency approval. It is an incredible moment for society and i really think this is now a turning point in the fight against this pandemic, both here in the uk and across the globe. I couldnt be prouder right now. The uk and across the globe. I couldnt be prouder right nowm the uk and across the globe. I couldnt be prouder right now. It is the fastest ever vaccine to go from concept to reality, taking only ten months to follow the same scientific steps that normally take a decade. Separate teams have been working in parallel to deliver the most rigorous review of this vaccine. No corners have been cut. 0ur rigorous review of this vaccine. No corners have been cut. Our expert scientists and clinicians have worked round the clock, carefully, methodically poring over tables and analyses and graphs. 0n methodically poring over tables and analyses and graphs. On every single piece of data. Ministers say 800,000 doses of this vaccine will be available from next week and met with millions more before the end of the year. It will need two injections, three weeks apart. A panel of government advisers has set out who gets it first based on clinical need. This morning, they published their final recommendations. They said around a million older care home residents and staff should be first in line, followed by the over 80 group, other health and social workers. This is phase one of the programme. In phase one, we hope that 90, to 99 of people at risk of dying from covid i9 will be included or covered. Most of the Pfizer Vaccine available in this country will be manufactured at this huge factory in central belgium. But this particular jab uses a new type of technology, meaning it has to be stored at 70 celsius, far colder than a standard fridge freezer. It will need to be shipped to the uk in special crates oi shipped to the uk in special crates or packed in dry ice, before being thawed out for the last stage of its journey. In reality, that means it could be hospital patients along with nhs and care staff who receive the vaccine first. The government says the vaccine will be available in three main ways, through a chain of special Mass Vaccination Centres set up at Sports Grounds and community centres, to hospitals including the nightingale hospitals, and through Community Services like gps and pharmacists. Anyone in a Priority Group should now wait to be contacted Priority Group should now wait to be co nta cted by Priority Group should now wait to be contacted by the nhs for an appointment. We definitely need a vaccine. I can understand peoples concerns about it being rushed through. But that is what the trials are there for. I mean, there is a collaborative worldwide effort in producing all these vaccines, so somebody has to be first. The Pfizer Biontech vaccine approved today was the first of three different jabs that could today was the first of three differentjabs that could be given the green light soon, and altogether, the government has ordered 357 million doses from seven different manufacturers. Ordered 357 million doses from seven different manufacture rs. |j ordered 357 million doses from seven different manufacturers. I amjust so, so pleased that 2020 has been just awful, and 2021 is going to be better. And help is on its way. This is more positive news, then, as shops reopened after the lockdown in england. But it is likely to be many months before any Vaccination Programme can really have an effect on this outbreak, so the message from both politicians and the scientist is, stick to the rules this winter, in the hope we can start to get back to normal in the spring. Jim reed, bbc news. The vaccine is being manufactured at pfizers belgian manufacturing plant in puurs, and nick beake is there. And the pressure is now on. And the pressure is now onm and the pressure is now on. It is, this place is home to 18,000 people, but is creating hope for millions of people across the globe including in the United Kingdom. In the past half an hourorso, we the United Kingdom. In the past half an hour or so, we have heard about the distribution plans to get the vaccine to the uk. We are told very soon, lorries will be rolling out of this plant heading towards the United Kingdom and, on board, there will be thermo boxes between 1,000 and 5,000 vaccines in each particular box at a very low temperature, 70 celsius. There will be Real Time Monitoring to make sure that temperature does not divert in any way. I has to the Company Behind this whether they are concerned about possible disruption because of the uk leaving the brexit transition period at the end of this month i asked the company. They said if there are difficulties, they will change their distribution pattern. It will be taken at the moment either by lorry or by plane. So lots of hope for lots of people. With sane, this place is most famous in belgium for the beer they make. I can tell you it is very strong stuff, and the name comes from the flemish for devil. Most people are seeing the latest product they have created as a godsend and many more say this is an incredible feat of scientific endeavour. Nick buechner thank you very much. Nick beake. 0ur medical editor, fergus walsh, is here. The other achievement is the speed at which this has been achieved. This marks the beginning of the pandemic being in sight, that is months and months away. But science has found the answer, it has found the exit strategy. If you had asked me back in april whether we would have a vaccine by december approved, i would have said, pretty unlikely. So it is extraordinary. This is the first so called r and a vaccine to be approved, it is a very clever vaccine, it is entirely synthetic, it uses a tiny fragment of genetic material from the spike protein to stimulate an immune response and get cells to produce this tiny protein found in the virus. And it is an 85 effective after two doses. Across all age groups. We dont know how long that protection lasts. And we dont know whether it also stops people passing on the virus. But it is extraordinarily good news, really a great day for science and humanity. Fergus, thank you very much indeed. On such a big news day, weve got two editors on this story for social distancing reasons. 0ur health editor, hugh pym, joins me from the other side of the newsroom. We are going to talk about logistics. This is a huge task ahead, isnt it pushed amok indeed, simon, getting to the point in the spring when ministers have said some sort of return to normality might be possible. Isnt it . Indeed. For people to look forward to that, it will involve a massive effort to roll out this vaccine across the vulnerable groups and then into other adult age groups. But the key thing is, it starts for real next week in hospitals, in different parts of the uk. The priority list given by the vaccine experts has ca re given by the vaccine experts has care home residents and staff at the top, followed by health and care workers, followed by the over 80s. But they have allowed a little sense of, if you like, latitude for the government to say in practical terms, getting this vaccine stored in hospitals and administered there, given the temperature issues that we have been hearing about, that is the best way to do it. So nhs staff will best way to do it. So nhs staff will be the first people to have the jabs and possibly care home workers going into hospitals. I understand ministers are working very hard to think about how this can be got into ca re think about how this can be got into care homes, but there are logistical issues around that. It has to be said that this is a very big ask for the nhs. Just when it is dealing with covid 19 and the onset of the flu season at some stage very soon, and all the normal winter pressures. Sol and all the normal winter pressures. So i think it is going to take a lot of work. And then of course, there is the Wider Community roll out, gp hubs, big Vaccination Centres and communities. And that may well need to ta ke communities. And that may well need to take a lot of work. And then of course, there is the Wider Community roll out, gp hubs, big Vaccination Centres and communities. And that may well need the other vaccine, the 0xford astrazeneca vaccine, which is still going through the approval process. Hugh pym, thank you very much. 0ur political correspondent, iain watson, is in westminster. Fantastic news, in the words of the Prime Minister, but we have to get there first. They say a week is a long time in politics, but 2a hours can seem long time in politics, but 2a hours can seem like an absolute hero as well because just yesterday, Boris Johnson suffered the biggest revolt from his own ranks in the general election. At Prime Ministers questions today, they seemed to be inoculated from Harsh Criticism because of the news of the vaccine. The clear message he wanted to hammer home is the roll out will ta ke hammer home is the roll out will take time so the tough gascony, the new restrictions introduced in england today and the mass testing, they still will be absolutely necessary. they still will be absolutely necessary. The tough tiers. His hope is like can be seen at the end of the tunnel and his own mps worried about the restrictions were put up with them. Also, the labour leader keir starmer, that is not keir starmer in the background, incidentally, despite what you are hearing him chanting keir starmer decided to go on the economic aspect of the pandemic, but he changed tack because of the news of the vaccine and decided instead to look at the questions of distribution and persuasion, how you get that vaccine to people, how quick you can get people vaccinated. There is new test for borisjohnson people vaccinated. There is new test for Boris Johnson and people vaccinated. There is new test for borisjohnson and that is how efficiently and how effectively the most vulnerable can be vaccinated. In watson, well done thank you. Iain watson. And well have a special programme covering the downing street press co nfe re nce led by the Prime Minister this afternoon at 4 30 on bbc one and the bbc news channel. Our top story this lunchtime. The uk becomes the first country in the world to approve the pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine. And still to come who will get the vaccine and how . Well answer your questions about the newly approved covid 19 vaccine. Coming up on bbc news. As the second lockdown is lifted in england, Charlton Athletic is one of a number of Football League clubs getting set to welcome back a limited number of fans to their ground for a match this evening. England has returned to a three tiered system of coronavirus restrictions after the Second National lockdown ended at midnight. The tougher new system came into force hours after being approved by mps in a commons vote. More than 55 Million People find themselves in the strictest two tiers. In tier1 which currently only applies to cornwall, the isles of scilly and the isle of wight up to six people can meet indoors or outdoors and pubs and restaurants can re open. Tier 2 covers more than 32 Million People. People there are not allowed to mix with anyone indoors unless in a support bubble. The rule of six applies outdoors. Pubs and restaurants can re open, but alcohol can only be served with a substantial meal. More than 23 Million People living in large parts of the midlands, north east and north west, as well as kent, are now in the strictest tier tier 3. This means no mixing with other households indoors or outdoors and hospitality venues will stay closed, except for takeaways. Phil mackie reports from birimingham, which is in tier 3. For these people who hadnt been to the shops for months, it was worth getting up early. By the time europes biggest primark reopened just before 7, there were nearly 100 waiting to get in, most had come to avoid any crowds later. Im dreading it. Im glad its not busy in that aspect because i hate when its busy, shopping. So, hopefully, it stays quiet while im here this morning. I definitely dont want to be in crowds. I wanted to get into nice and early to get back out, really, as safe as possible. Is everyone ready . over at selfridges, they were excited to welcome shoppers back. Its so important, and whilst online trading has been brilliant and stores have been supportive with that, nothing beats that experience of having customers in the store shopping for their christmas gifts. Birmingham is in tier 3, that means you cant go to the pub, you cant meet your friends and go for a meal and you cant sit inside. Its click and collect, or takeaway only. Normally, this street would be packed with hundreds of shoppers because this is where the german Christmas Market would be. There is no obvious sign of a mass rush back to the shops today and that might be because people are still nervous. This is an area where there has been a high infection rate and people dont want to come out and see that rate go up again. Very few people have returned to their City Centre Offices either, and that means trade is affected. The bullring has been birminghams Shopping Centre for a thousand years. Shopping just isnt as much fun as it used to be. When the bullring opened more than half a century ago, it was the place to go. Now it can be easier and safer to shop from home. This family owned jewellery store has been trading in the city centre for nearly six decades. The footfall is a big problem. If you look at the city, the amount of empty shops just proves the problem. The rents are too high in any case and the footfall is getting smaller, not bigger. And all that has a knock on effect. The big cities are being hurt the most, so even if you are booked up for the whole of the next week, if people dont come back after that, there will be a problem. We support each other as much as they support us, so if someone comes and drops something off at the cobblers, they may pop in and get a haircut or vice versa. And it is that community that i think is going to be key and that is what lockdown has shown, that taking that away showed how quickly you need to bring it back together. Because its in the highest tier, birminghams night time economy is still effectively shut down. But at least now, the city is beginning to come back to life during the day. Phil mackie, bbc news, birmingham. Across all english tiers gyms will be able to reopen. Fiona lamdin has been to visit a gym in bristol which was in tier1 before the National Lockdown and is now finds itself in tier 3. After 27 days of being shut, people were desperate to get in at six oclock this morning. This gym in bristol went into lockdown in tier 1. A month later it has emerged in tier 3. But this time round, gyms and swimming pools will stay open in all tiers. Do you feel safe here . Yes. They are very hygienic here. They make a concerted effort. There is good spacing between the equipment and i feel very comfortable here. Being in lockdown obviously is so hard mentally. So being back at the gym just means so much to me at the moment. Its good to have a change of scenery and see some friends, its the mental aspect more than anything, really. This space is normally used for spin and yoga classes. But in tier 3 those have to stop. All indoor groups are banned. This gym in bristol is taking extra precautions. Not only are here hand sanitiser is on the wall, but each member is given their own personalised bottle of sanitiser and cloth. And they need to clean the equipment before and after. But with positive cases still high here in bristol, some might question if gyms really are necessary. It is absolutely essential that we stay open. You know, notjust for people with, for physical health, but Mental Health as well. The amount of our members that have contacted us to say that it has impacted on their health, not being open, you know. And then being able to get back into the gym is going to be great. Traditionally december is not the month when people rush to the gym. It is in the new year when there is a surge of fitness resolutions. But this year it seems those may have come a little earlier. Fiona london, bbc news. More than half the population of england over 32 Million People are now living in tier 2 areas. They wont be able socialise indoors with anyone they dont live with but they can meet in a group of up to six outside. Pubs and bars can only open and serve alcohol if they serve substantial meals. Danny savage is at a pub in york. City centres, historic one is this should be bustling at this time of year with visitors and people christmas shopping. It is busier now than in the past few weeks but hardly bustling. For pubs like this in the centre of york good news, it cant open again today but rules say if you move around inside the pub you have to wear a facemask. When you have to wear a facemask. When you comment you have to sign in under the track and trace system. The bar is still here but like many pubs now they have perspex screens and you cannot stand at the bar as it is just table service. We can speak to the manager now, how special is it to have people finally coming back in . Were so happy to open, all the staff to come back to work and much more now with the Christmas Spirit and decorations. Do you think you will get more people in . Definitely, we have many bookings for the weekend already. Some confusion in the past few days over what happens when you finish your meal in a pub. Are you thrown out straightaway . Of course not, you are allowed to finish a drink. We will encourage people of course to order pudding and you can still have a drink. Subtypes like this can open and will remain open but many wet pubs which do not serve food must stay closed at the moment and in many towns and city centres are still many pubs are closed. But if they do serve food, they are open again. It has been a very long time coming. Today care home residents are being told that they will be able to have visitors again to hug them and to hold their hands. More than a million rapid lateral flow coronavirus tests have been sent out to care homes in england with the aim that residents will be able to see two loved ones twice a week. Damian grammaticas reports. Liz jakes has waited for this moment since february, to hold and hug herfather. A rapid covid test is all she needs. Its very exciting. Its an enormous step forward, a really positive move, and i think its going to be quite emotional. Inside the care home, her father waiting. They have seen each other through the pandemic, but only at a distance. Its going to be heaven because we have sat out in the garden with pouring rain, or we have sat out with lovely sunshine. But today, you see, they can come and see me in my room which is like old times. This is a pilot scheme in winchester, now to be rolled out nationally. Lizzie, darling hello, darling when did we last cuddle . It isjust so natural and so spontaneous to be able to hug. As we always have done. Oh, its just amazing. Its so good. Makes a real difference, that human contact. It feels like really a step back towards normality. Whatever tier of covid restrictions you have been living under, it means visits with physical contact will now be possible. A million test kits are being sent to the largest care homes and they will decide how many relatives each resident can see, and how often. Well, it will be a designated person, a relative, who will be able to get that test done at the care home. And if it is negative, then they can, with all the full ppe and all the prevention as well that we normally have, they can then go into the care home and see their relative, which is a huge benefit, it really is. In winchester they are already noticing what difference the renewal of family visits is making. Everyone was at a very low point. They had no routine. Some of them were not even getting up and getting dressed in the day because what was the point . Whereas now everyone is up, they are excited. They are having their hair done. Excited for christmas. You cant get better than that, can you . Lovely to see you elsewhere family contact may well be possible by christmas, but only if care homes can cope with the extra workload of carrying out the tests, and they are not 100 reliable. Visits will still bring risks. Damian grammaticas, bbc news. The un secretary general, Antonio Guterres, is urging people around the world to stop waging what he calls a suicidal war on nature. It comes as a provisional assesment from the World Meteorological 0rganisation suggests this year will be one of the three hottest on record, just behind 2016 and 2019. Our environment correspondent matt matt mcgrathjoins me now. It isa it is a dire warning that the figures to back it up. That is right, 2020 is notjust going to be one of three warmest years on record, the six years from 2015 until now will be the warmest on record back to 1850. So we have seen the impact this year of warming, in the impact this year of warming, in the uk people may remember the floods in february, the record downpours followed by the warmest and sunniest spring on record for the siberia temperatures were 5 Degrees Higher than average and we had wildfires in australia, california and russia and hurricanes, some 30 named storms this year. Scientists also worried about the amount of heat going into the ocean is causing marine heatwaves, 80 of the oceans have seen heatwaves, 80 of the oceans have seen emily marine heatwave this year so altogether sad to see this as just another report and they say politicians need to get the message and carbon cuts need to happen rapidly. And there is a special programme state of the planet at eight thirty this evening here on the bbc news channel. The un secretary general Antonio Guterres will be joined by climate activists from around the world, including sir david attenborough. You can watch it later on the iplayer. After 266 days fans can return to watch professional sports in tier1 and 2 areas of england. But as clubs prepare to open their turnstiles for the first time in almost nine months, a poll for bbc suggests fans are divided over whether they should be allowed to return before a covid 19 vaccine is fully rolled out. This evening, 2,000 fans will be allowed in to watch cambridge uniteds league two game with mansfield. Joe wilson is at the abbey stadium and sent this report. Patience, how sport has needed it. Cambridge united were ready back in september to read english footballs pilot scheme for fans to return. Tonight, finally, 2,000 supporters will be here. It will make a big difference, but not financially. We have almost one steward for every 20 fans, to make sure that we are sticking with the rules, but that all costs money. So, it costs more to stage with fans than without. But we made the decision, theres no question about it, we want the fans back. Because you want the atmosphere . We want the atmosphere. And its a stepping stone. The red arrows are painted on to encourage direction of travel. Thats one adaptation that cambridge have made. This evening, supporters will be allowed to sit or stand in their own bubbles, but they must keep a distance from anybody elses bubble during the game. And cambridge also require all spectators to keep a mask on throughout the match. In a poll of 2,100 football fans, commissioned by bbc sport, 52 said they should be allowed to return to watch games before a vaccines available. 45 said they should not. 50 years after his first match here, dave matthewjones told me he feels safe and excited. Football, to me, is more about, not just about the sport, its about the social side of it, its about the camaraderie, its about the enjoyment of being at an event with other people. Meanwhile, at lingfield, surrey, one of four english horse racing meetings today with supporters. Racing is second only to football when it comes to live attendances, but it was trying to win racegoers back even before covid. Attending is a habit professional sport cant afford to break. Cambridge united play in league two. More importantly, theyre in tier 2, and when these seats are occupied tonight, it may only emphasise the emptiness elsewhere. Joe wilson, bbc news, cambridge. Weve had lots of questions about what todays approval of the Pfizer Biontech vaccine means. Our Health CorrespondentAnna Collinson is here to answer some of them. Raymond says why is the uk prefers to the vaccine. Russia and china have approved the vaccine of their own but the uk is the first to approve the pfizer and biontech vaccine and that is down to the speed of the uk regulator the mhra which started work injanuary and has been working round the clock since then going through thousands of pages of data and trying to see if it means the efficacy and safety standards. The ear made the body which regulates the vaccine for the eu has questioned the speed this has happened but the head of the mhra said this morning that no corners have been cut. David asks why are those classed as extremely vulnerable and over 65 is so low on the list . This refers to the maxim priority list which has been drawn up priority list which has been drawn up by priority list which has been drawn up by the joint priority list which has been drawn up by thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation is and they cah is the biggest risk factor so what they want is the older age groups to be right at the front of the queue when it comes to the vaccine for them due to logistical issues whether the vaccine needing to be stored at 70 degrees, is likely that that the first people to get the vaccine will be those in hospital, patients, workers, care home staff. And those classified in the extremely vulnerable and over 65 group are still in the first phase and will be some of the first to get the vaccine probably early next year. But if concerned they could also get the flu jab. Bill asks if you have already had cover 19 will you have already had cover 19 will you get the vaccine . The aim is for eve ryo ne you get the vaccine . The aim is for everyone to get the vaccine regardless of whether you have had the virus are not. We dont know if catching it stops you getting the virus again. And this Morning Health secretary matt hancock said that he would sign up for the vaccine when it was his time,