schools in wales could re—open to all pupils after half term — though the nationwide lockdown will continue. thousands of volunteers helping the nhs with the vaccine roll—out will be prioritised for a jab. and no glastonbury for us, but in new zealand music lovers can gather for concerts. we hear from what could be the biggest live act in the world at the moment. coming up in the sport on bbc news, a worry for tottenham and england after a double injury for harry kane. he only lasted half the match in their defeat to liverpool. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. a new coronavirus vaccine has been shown to be more than 89% effective in trials, and is the first that has proven to be effective against the new variant identified as circulating widely in the uk. the novavax jab is made by an american company, and it still has to be approved by medicines regulators, but the government has already ordered 60 million doses, much of the manufacturing is being done in stockton on tees. our health correspondent anna collinson reports. at a time when many needed a boost it is hoped another powerful weapon against the coronavirus is within reach. new data suggest the novavax vaccine offers strong protection, with results described as spectacular. more than 15,000 volunteers took part in the large uk trial. crucially, over half of the covid—19 cases recorded came from the variant found in the uk. with an overall efficacy of 89%, it could be the firstjab which shows it works against the original and new strains. i guess the bad news is that there was lots of virus circulating in the uk during our trial but that is good news if you're trying to develop a vaccine because you get lots of infection and you can show the vaccine actually works. fine infection and you can show the vaccine actually works. one concern is the novavax _ vaccine actually works. one concern is the novavax jab _ vaccine actually works. one concern is the novavax jab does _ vaccine actually works. one concern is the novavax jab does not - vaccine actually works. one concern is the novavax jab does not appearl is the novavax jab does not appear to offer as much protection against the south african variants but the company says the efficacy was above people pause my expectations. the next big step is for uk's regulator to give novavax the green light which could take weeks. so far three vaccines have been approved, with astrazeneca and pfizer already being rolled out, and i7 astrazeneca and pfizer already being rolled out, and 17 million moderna doseis rolled out, and 17 million moderna dose is expected in the spring. novavax could provide a further boost with 60 million doses ordered. like astrazeneca at the novavax jab can be stored on a regularfridge which means if and when it is approved it will be easier to get it out to patients. this approved it will be easier to get it out to patients.— out to patients. this is a completely _ out to patients. this is a completely different - out to patients. this is a | completely different sort out to patients. this is a i completely different sort of vaccine, it is a more conventional vaccine, it is a more conventional vaccine, purified protein, which is formulated to induce a very good immune response. i'm really delighted we've got yet a third basic approach to vaccination which seems to give such high protection. this is remarkable. i think unprecedented.— this is remarkable. i think unprecedented. this is remarkable. i think unrecedented. ., ., unprecedented. one of those who took art in the unprecedented. one of those who took part in the trial — unprecedented. one of those who took part in the trial was _ unprecedented. one of those who took part in the trial was the _ unprecedented. one of those who took part in the trial was the minister- part in the trial was the minister responsible for the vaccine roll—out. in a tweet he praised the encouraging results and confirm some manufacturing will take place here. novavax is a us vaccine but some of it is due to be made in stockton on tees although a warning that won't happen overnight. it tees although a warning that won't happen overnight.— tees although a warning that won't happen overnight. it takes time. we are growing — happen overnight. it takes time. we are growing uo _ happen overnight. it takes time. we are growing up these _ happen overnight. it takes time. we are growing up these cells _ happen overnight. it takes time. we are growing up these cells from - happen overnight. it takes time. we are growing up these cells from low| are growing up these cells from low volumes up to thousand litre volumes and it is very complicated. growing these cells is not predictable or linear pots i am confident they will get their but the vaccine will not be rolling out tomorrow.- be rolling out tomorrow. while tempering _ be rolling out tomorrow. while tempering expectations - be rolling out tomorrow. while tempering expectations the . be rolling out tomorrow. while tempering expectations the former head of the uk vaccine tax task force is delighted.— head of the uk vaccine tax task force is delighted. when i heard the news i force is delighted. when i heard the news i broke — force is delighted. when i heard the news i broke the _ force is delighted. when i heard the news i broke the dry _ force is delighted. when i heard the news i broke the dry january - force is delighted. when i heard the news i broke the dry january rule i news i broke the dry january rule and celebrated with a glass of wine. for many the light at the end of the tunnel has got that much brighter. 0ur health correspondent jim reed is here. ijust in the last few minutes there is news of another firm's jab. its, is news of another firm'sjab. very busy day for vaccine news. the last ten minutes news on another vaccine awarded by the british government. —— ordered by the british government. this one has been developed by a company based in belgium, a unit ofjohnson & johnson, the big manufacturer. from a technical point of view it this works similarly to the astrazeneca jab, they take a cold virus and modify its and their use that to be not infectious but produced the spike protein that we hear about all the time and protect people from the actual disease. important that this one we've had results from, they have been testing in a single version so it might not need a booster shot and that would be the first. these results in the last five minutes have just come first. these results in the last five minutes havejust come in, 72% is the figure it showing for how effective this vaccine is. in that the us part of the trial, globally about 66%. that would be similar to results we heard from astrazeneca. that means overall from the seven vaccines on ordered by the british government five have shown positive clinical data. you have to say, less than one year since the start of the outbreak, is quite an achievement. jim, good to hear that. thank you very much indeed. the european commission has published a redacted version of its contract with the drug—maker astrazeneca, in a continuing row about supplies of its covid vaccine. a contract was signed in august for 300 million doses, but the firm has slowed deliveries to the bloc because of production problems. the european medicines agency is expected to appprove the jab for use in the eu later today. nick beake reports from brussels. revealed, in black and white, the contract at the heart of this spiralling international row. the deal signed between the eu and the covert vaccine maker astrazeneca. millions of doses will not be arriving on time, both sides still claiming they are in the right. there is no priority in the contract, the contract is crystal clear. , . , contract, the contract is crystal clear. , ., , ., ., clear. there is a binding order and no other requirement _ clear. there is a binding order and no other requirement that - clear. there is a binding order and no other requirement that needs i clear. there is a binding order and | no other requirement that needs to be met. we would not even have these capacities if the eu had not invested in the company in advance. this unremarkable industrial estate in belgium is now an important location in this bitter argument. investigators were asked by the eu to come here and check whether astrazeneca were telling the truth about production problems. that they have contributed to this shortfall of the jab. the stand—off could affect supply of other vaccines including pfizer's. the eu is taking tough action now to hold onto doses made in europe. if it's not getting its fair share of exports to countries including britain could be blocked. a former head of the uk's vaccine task force said she hoped that would not happen. i vaccine task force said she hoped that would not happen.— vaccine task force said she hoped that would not happen. i don't think the idea there _ that would not happen. i don't think the idea there will _ that would not happen. i don't think the idea there will be _ that would not happen. i don't think the idea there will be trade - the idea there will be trade barriers are something we should be considering. it's all about how can we collectively vaccinate all those who are at risk as quickly as possible. who are at risk as quickly as possible-— who are at risk as quickly as ossible. , ., , , . possible. the eu is finally expected to a- rove possible. the eu is finally expected to approve the _ possible. the eu is finally expected to approve the astrazeneca - possible. the eu is finally expected to approve the astrazeneca vaccine | to approve the astrazeneca vaccine this afternoon. although reportedly not for the over 65s. not because they think it is unsafe, they say they think it is unsafe, they say they want to see more evidence in that age category. today the european agency is likely to another vaccine. we are not expecting authorisation without limits, though. as we have been saying for the last few days the data for older people is not sufficient. british authorities say they are completely confident the vaccine is safe for all ages. downing street insists the supply of vaccine in the uk is secure. specialist lawyers are poring over the details of this disputed contract between the eu and astrazeneca, that has been published. the company insists it has done nothing wrong. no one wants a legal battle, what europe really needs are many more vaccines. latest figures from the office for national statistics suggest that the number of people with coronavirus has changed little in the week to 23rd january with the number of infections remaining high across the uk. let's speak to the bbc�*s head of statistics robert cuffe. there is always geographical variations, usually, talk us through the figures. the variations, usually, talk us through the figures-— the figures. the rates are probably 'ust below the figures. the rates are probably just below one _ the figures. the rates are probably just below one or— the figures. the rates are probably just below one or 296 _ the figures. the rates are probably just below one or 2% across - the figures. the rates are probably just below one or 296 across the i just below one or 2% across the nation, 2.5% in london or the north—west, crucially, the unfortunate news is not coming down. they are in england and wales, certainly, than before the christmas spike. and there is evidence of a sharp rise we saw last week in northern ireland has hopefully coming to an end. a reminder that lockdown we are under at the moment which is less stringent than, less harsh than last spring's is up against a more infectious virus and against a more infectious virus and again winter. there is a slight puzzle in the figures because a number of people going to hospital with coronavirus is coming down and a number of cases every day has been coming down for a while. we pay attention to these numbers, because they give us a clear picture of infections. they pick people at random to test which means they pick up random to test which means they pick up people who would not show up on the other numbers because they never get sick and never come forward for testing. you've got these very different pictures but it's giving us a clear picture of infections. the thing that will resolve this puzzle is understanding how does infections play through into sickness and into death and it is still a developing picture. it will be some time until we really get the answer to that puzzle and see how it plays out against a backdrop of all the vaccinations that hopefully bringing good news. mil the vaccinations that hopefully bringing good news.— bringing good news. all right, robert, thank _ bringing good news. all right, robert, thank you _ bringing good news. all right, robert, thank you very - bringing good news. all right, robert, thank you very much | bringing good news. all right, i robert, thank you very much for bringing good news. all right, - robert, thank you very much for now. schools in wales could begin to reopen to all pupils after the february half—term, if covid infection rates continue to fall in the coming weeks. the first minister mark drakeford said in the last hour that the current restrictions in wales are to stay in place for at least the next three weeks. 0ur wales correspondent tomos morgan is in cardiff. she has been listing in cardiff. what more did mark drakeford have to say? == what more did mark drakeford have to sa ? , ., , say? -- listening in? he was praising the _ say? -- listening in? he was praising the resolve - say? -- listening in? he was praising the resolve and - say? -- listening in? he was i praising the resolve and efforts say? -- listening in? he was - praising the resolve and efforts of the people of wales. if we go back to just before the 19th of december when the lockdown was introduced here, the rates in wales were the worst of anywhere across the uk. now we are in a position where rates are coming down, the number of people testing positive, is also coming down, the strain on the nhs is starting to ease and also now it appears as though wales seems to be leading the way in some vaccination statistics for the uk nations. this has meant the first minister and welsh government have made the decision that schools will be able to reopen, phase three opening, after half term. the youngest pupils first, those pupils with the spread of infection is lowest, and where the actual virus is the lowest threat to them, there will be a consideration in the coming weeks of when to introduce those on exam grades and vocational courses but the first minister said this will be caveat it with the trend is still going in the same direction. if infections continue to fall we want to see _ infections continue to fall we want to see children able to return to school _ to see children able to return to school after half term from the 22nd of february, starting with the youngest children in our primary schools — youngest children in our primary schools. i'm confirming this intention— schools. i'm confirming this intention today to give as much notice — intention today to give as much notice as— intention today to give as much notice as possible to parents, teachers _ notice as possible to parents, teachers and pupils of what we hope will lie _ teachers and pupils of what we hope will lie ahead. the _ will lie ahead. the first minister saying it will be the foundation phases that go back first, the youngest years, primary, consideration then to high school over the next few weeks. this has been a long drawn out deal with the unions and teachers to try and get the schools reopened again. those in vulnerable families and those of key workers are already able to go to school and in some capacity but the plan is now in place for schools to partially reopen on the 22nd of february. the other thing the first minister said as there wouldn't be any real change to the lockdown measures in wales at the moment until at least the next review in three weeks. until at least the next review in three weeks-— until at least the next review in threeweeks. ., ., ., ,, three weeks. tomos morgan, thank ou. schools in northern ireland won't reopen to all pupils until at least march 8th. the first minister arlene foster said whether schools can open fully after that date will depend on the public health situation. emma vardy is in belfast. tell us more? well, i don't think it was any great _ tell us more? well, i don't think it was any great surprise _ tell us more? well, i don't think it was any great surprise that - tell us more? well, i don't think it| was any great surprise that schools were not going to be able to reopen just after february half—turn as planned, because although case numbers here have been falling and the r number has been coming down, because of the big spike after christmas, pressure on hospitals is very high and intensive care numbers reach their highest ever levels and ministers had told the public to expect hospital inpatient levels to remain very high for a number of weeks. in light of all that and the fact that the more transmissible variant is becoming more common in northern ireland, they had to take the decision to keep schools closed for a bit longer. the decision to keep schools closed fora bit longer. it the decision to keep schools closed for a bit longer. it will all be reviewed coming forward and a big factor in any decision will be the vaccine roll—out, and the name in northern ireland is to have everybody over 65 to have been offered the jab by the end of february. an online booking system has gone live for people aged between 65 and 69. ministers said they took the decision to keep schools closed for longer reluctantly and the first minister arlene foster says she understands the pressure for parents, that the kitchen table is no substitute for the classroom. even if they remain on track for a reopening on march the 8th, seven year groups might go back first, prioritising those taking exams. our top story this lunchtime: a new coronavirus vaccine is shown to be 89% effective in trials — and works against the new variant in the uk and coming up — cabs forjabs — how a new project is helping older people get to vaccine appointments safely. coming up in the sport in the next 15 minutes on bbc news, a return to netball for the former england coach tracey neville. she's taken on a technical role with her old team manchester thunder. as most pupils are still being schooled from home, there are continued concerns that the digital divide is causing some to fall behind. ten months after the start of the pandemic, some schoolchildren still don't have access to a laptop or affordable broadband. fiona lamdin has more. it's a life changer. and it's also a life saver. this was the moment when alawia and khadijia, ten—year—old identical twins, were given a donated laptop. it made a big impact on our lives because you can get more education and you can get more work done. and we can see our teacher on the online lessons on zoom. the live lessons are amazing, actually. sometimes we do fun stuff. it's notjust the lack of devices that's making it hard for some to study. many families are struggling to get online. near the english—welsh border live the bennetts. they're dairy farmers. 0ur internet isn't so good so we don't get to do so much stuff. for their children, drew and megan, home—schooling is a struggle. with maths and english, it's really hard because we can't watch the videos so we just have to do it on a piece of paper. their broadband is so slow live lessons are out of the question. we can't get onto a zoom session. they don't get to do any of the live lessons all the links to tutorial videos that they can watch. it's simply paper, printed out stuff. are you worried they're falling behind? i think they probably are because they don't get that interaction from their teacher. they can't get 4g reception. to cable it from where there is a signal would cost thousands — something they can't afford. 0fcom found that 6% of households have difficulties paying their broadband, while 5% of families struggle with their mobile phone bill. this is khadra and her family in bristol. she can't afford broadband or mobile data. her seven children haven't been able to do any home learning. i don't have anything. i don't have internet and computer. has it been very hard? very, very hard. the internet is the full money, i don't have. and as we were filming, this charity not only donated a laptop, but a 4g dongle. families are having to choose between food, heating or internet connection, and if they have young people in the family that need education, then that's quite a tough choice to make. the department for education say they've given over 50,000 4g routers to schools for disadvantaged children. after missing out on nearly a month of education, khadra's children can now restart studying. fiona lamdin, bbc news. if you would like to donate a laptop, orfor more details about getting online, go to bbc.co.uk/makeadifference. a month since end of the transition period, what role has brexit played in the uk's head start over the eu around covid vaccinations? ros atkins has been finding out. the uk's vaccine roll—out is going faster than the european union's. ii% of the uk's population has received at least one dose, in the eu it's 2%, which raises the question of whether brexit explains the difference. well, die welt in germany calls the eu—astrazeneca row the "best advertisement for brexit." and borisjohnson was asked if he thought brexit had helped. we certainly were able to use speed and agility to deliver on the programme that we needed to do. whatever the reason for moving early, the pharmaceutical industry is clear — it helped. astrazeneca inherited, when they did the deal with oxford university at the end of april, a coalition of willing companies that were already working on the scale—up challenge. for its part, the eu, after some deliberation, insisted it would act as one. we have all agreed, legally binding, that there will be no parallel negotiations, no parallel contracts, so the framework we are all working in is a framework of 27. now, by pooling their negotiating power, eu members may have got better prices, but the deal coming later meant vaccines had to be produced more quickly. the commentator guntram wolff says the eu didn't react to that. "there is an argument," he says, "that the eu was slow to develop an industrial strategy to increase production." and what if brexit hadn't happened? well, eu law allows member states to authorise vaccines themselves for emergency use. indeed, hungary has signed a deal for russia's vaccine. and the fact the uk could do this while an eu member is shown by the fact that, at the time it signed those contracts last year, it was a member, it was still in the eu during the brexit transition. now, whether the uk would have gone its own way if it was an ongoing member is harder to know, but it's not out of the question. the uk was often prepared to be independent when it was an eu member, for example it opted out of the schengen travel area and the euro single currency. but it could have done the same with vaccines as well. and with oxford university involved, the astrazeneca vaccine was intrinsically linked to the uk. it's hard to imagine it would have missed out on securing privileged access to it, whether in or out of the eu. but, of course, this isn'tjust about laws and regulations, it's about politics, and surely brexit made the uk more likely to go its own way, with the benefits in vaccine deliveries that have subsequently followed. the 30,000 volunteers who have signed up to help the nhs with the roll—out of the covid—i9 vaccines will now be given the jab themselves. the first aid charity stjohn ambulance says volunteers will be classed as front line health workers and given priority. laura foster reports. black lights, fake arms, and a lot of personal protective equipment. all of this is needed to transform these volunteers into vaccinators. even if you are the skinniest person imaginable, and bearing in mind some of these elderly people are very frail, very skinny, we are, you've still got muscle there. no one here is a medical professional, theyjust all want to help. sarah normally works as a yoga teacher. you signed up to do it but you're like, i have never injected anyone before, so it's nice to actually put it all into practice. i live on my own, so i'm quite looking forward to getting out and seeing some different people. esmie has onlyjust started studying medicine. the pandemic means this is the first time she's been able to get any practical experience. very for people getting the vaccine and i don't want to just sit at home and tell people to do it, i want to facilitate it and help people get it. before this point, all the volunteers have done extensive online learning. but this is the first time that they're actually picking up syringes and interacting with other people. it means that the first time they give the vaccination will be in a dedicated vaccination centre. stjohn ambulance needs to train 30,000 people to help the nhs with the vaccine roll—out. because the volunteers are now front line health workers, they are now considered a priority group and will be given the covid vaccine. i hate the phrase just a volunteer, getting the vaccination out there by these people, these volunteers, who are well—trained, well qualified, and are confident to deliver it, should reassure the general public that they are getting as good a care as they would get anywhere. they will be working in venues like this. more vaccination centres are being created every week, including some in stadiums and places of worship. the government has set itself a target to give everyone in the top four priority groups their first dose before the middle of february. that's front line health care workers, anyone deemed to be extremely clinically vulnerable, care home residents and staff as well as anyone over the age of 70. but these volunteers will be needed far beyond february. the aim remains to offer the vaccine to every adult in the uk by the autumn. laura foster, bbc news, hull. a new project is helping older people get to covid vaccination centres safely — while providing much—needed work for taxi drivers. cabs forjabs uses donations to fund free taxi rides for those who need them most. duncan kennedy has more. the idea could not be simpler. from door to door, via a free to use taxi. it's called cabs forjabs. 0h, they're great, yeah, great. the doctors told me about them so, yeah, very good. 75—year—old sylvia from winchester is about to take her taxi. are you 0k there? it would normally take sylvia two bus journeys to get to the vaccination centre. instead, sean, a local taxi driver, is taking herforfree. they're really flexible on the time of the jab as well, so don't panic about timings. cabs forjabs was the idea of a group of friends who set up a go fund me page. the money raised pays for the taxi. so far, it's helped more than 100 elderly people. a lot of people in rural communities are going to struggle getting to their vaccination, a number of different buses. so, just to know that they can call a service, get a free taxi and get to their appointment is just a huge weight off their minds and a huge relief. sylvia arrives at the vaccination centre in plenty of time. ready for your jab? yes. and joins the queue were already there before answering a few questions. being brought here also helps the doctors. if they didn't come here, we would have to visit them at home, which is quite difficult to take time out of clinical sessions and also to actually transport the vaccine outside of the surgery. no reactions to vaccines in the past? it's soon time for sylvia's covid vaccination. a sharp scratch... job done. as all this is happening, taxi driver sean is sterilising his cab again and taking more calls from elderly customers. thanks, then, bye. another covid one? yes, yeah, another one, yeah. a busy day? a busy day, yeah, 22 today and 36 tomorrow, so very busy, yeah. in fact, the public have so far raised nearly £10,000 to pay for the taxis. having the vaccination already is worrying enough, let alone worrying about having... you know, how to get there and how to get back. so we're taking all the worry away from them, which is a great relief for everybody. then it's time for sylvia's ride back home, thanks to a scheme that's now also taking off in places like brighton, southampton and tonbridge. what now think of cabs forjabs? very good. best. yeah, they deserve a medal! it's a fair idea for a fare—free service. cup of tea time. duncan kennedy, bbc news, in winchester. with festivals including glastonbury cancelled because of the pandemic, music fans across much of the world have had to settle for performances filmed remotely and streamed to their phones. but in new zealand, the success of the government's covid strategy has meant thousands of people still gather for live concerts. 0ur reporter, mark savage, has spoken to one local band who could — for now — claim to be the biggest live act in the world. we need to get back to the stage, so i need you to clear a path for us to walk straight down this line here... a scene that is unimaginable in most of the world right now. but with just 25 covid—related deaths in new zealand, the country's ban on mass gatherings has been lifted, and rock band six60 are out every weekend playing to thousands of fans. for the first gig back, when you walked out on stage, how did it feel? it felt right. we live for the stage, and that's how we came together, performing live, so it is kind of our bread—and—butter. and itjust felt good to be home. the audience don't have to wear masks or take covid tests. all they have to do is make sure they have the government's tracing app installed on their phones. as far as the show is concerned, it is normal. people are embracing, they are together, shoulder to shoulder, singing along. but there are some challenges. the band have had to book alternative dates for every show on their tour in case of a new break—out. and that also means they've had to scale back the ambition of their stage production. because of the uncertainty, you can'tjust be throwing the money around willy—nilly, you have to be a bit more strategic and a bit more poignant about your decisions. and that comes with its challenges. right now, six60 could claim to be the biggest live band on the planet, but the success of their shows will give hope to musicians around the world that concerts will resume one day. mark savage, bbc news. it looks like another world! time for a look at the weather. here's stav da naos.