needing hospital treatment will be offered on the nhs in england from today. sotrovimab is an antibody given as a transfusion to treat people in high risk groups. it will be offered initially in england, before being rolled out across the uk. the headlines on bbc news. there ll be a virtual meeting of the cabinet later, amid calls for action to tackle surging coronavirus case rates. sources tell the bbc three options have been prepared. a new photo s been published of the prime minister and others with wine and cheese in the no 10 garden during lockdown. ministers say no rules were broken. figures show shoppers avoided high streets and city centres on the weekend before christmas, as hospitality businesses continue to ask for government help. sport, and for a full round up from the bbc sport centre, here s sarah. england have a mountain to climb
from within his own party. a virtual cabinet meeting is due to be held at two o clock this afternoon. civil servants have prepared a menu of three options for covid restrictions ranging in severity. yesterday there were 82,886 new coronavirus cases recorded in the uk and over the last week a record number of daily cases have been recorded on several occasions. last night the treasury doubled the amount of additional funding available for the devolved administrations in scotland, wales and northern ireland to support their response to the virus ahead of christmas many city centres saw footfall down over what would normally be one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. and there have been calls for further support for the industries hardest hit by pre christmas cancellations including the hospitality industry. helena wilkinson has the latest.
to ask for help to deal with the impacts of coronavirus. premier league officials will meet clubs later to consider pausing the season over the festive period, after a number of matches were cancelled because of covid cases. australia take a 2 0 lead over england in the ashes, after completing a 275 run victory in the second test in adelaide. borisjohnson is facing calls to bring in tighter measures over the christmas period to stem the rapid rise in cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus. scientists say urgent action is needed to stop a rapid influx of patients into hospital. but the prime minister is facing strong oppostion on further restrictions
vaccinated, who have also still caught the virus. so we know that is a complex situation for them, which games to be played and which not. but, in the end, everybody has to pull together to get through something like this. meanwhile rafa nadal has tested positive for covid 19 after making his comeback from injury in an exhibition event in abu dhabi last week. the twenty time grand slam champion returned the positive test on arrival back in spain. he said he was having some unpleasant moments but hopes to improve little by little. nadal has not played a tour event since august, and the australian open begins in melbourne four weeks today. that s all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. restaurants and pubs are calling for more support from government amid large numbers of cancellations in the run up to christmas, as fears have risen over the spread of omicron. the boss of pub chain greene king says winter bookings have been
out plans to tackle surging coronavirus cases. sources tell the bbc three options of increasing severity have been prepared. the downing street parties saga continues with a photo of the prime minister and others with wine and cheese in the no 10 garden during lockdown. ministers say no rules were broken. this is a workplace, and it is consistent, exactly what you see is consistent, with the rules that applied to workplaces. to suggest that is a work meeting is a bit of a stretch, by anybody s analysis. so i think there are very serious questions to be answered. shoppers avoided high streets and city centres on the weekend before christmas, according to new footfall figures, as hospitality businesses continue to ask for help to deal with the impacts of coronavirus. premier league officials will meet clubs later to consider pausing the season over the festive period, after a number of matches were cancelled