This is bbc news. The headlines further restrictions are expected to control the spread of coronavirus this is bbc news with the latest in both england and scotland. Headlines for viewers in the uk in england, the Prime Minister has and around the world. Warned of tough weeks to come. Im rebecca jones. What we have been waiting for is to see the impact of the tier 4 measures on the virus. The roll out of the oxford it is a bit unclear at the moment, astrazeneca jab begins in the uk this morning but if you look at the numbers the government describes it as a Pivotal Moment in the pandemic. There is no question that we are going to have to take the vaccine means everything to me. Tougher measures and we will be announcing those in due course. I mean, to my mind, its the roll out of the the only way of getting back Oxford Astrazeneca jab has begun to a bit of normal life. The Prime Minister says tens you know, this virus of millions of doses will have been is terrible, isnt it . Administered by the end of march. The nhs already has over half the vaccine means everything to me. A million doses of the jab, with millions more due in the coming weeks, and says today is even more significant than the first pfizer vaccination last month. To my mind its the only today, when i saw the firstjab in the building behind me way of getting back of the astrazeneca vaccine, it felt like an even bigger moment, another turning point in our way
out of this pandemic. Primary schools in most of england reopen this morning, but theres growing concern over safety and staff shortages. To a bit of normal way of life. This virus is terrible, isnt it . The nhs already has over coming up, well be speaking 500,000 doses of the jab, to the trades Union Congress, and says today is even more who are calling for all employers significant than the first pfizer to offer furlough to all parents vaccination last month. Today, when i saw the firstjab affected by School Closures. In the building behind me of the the uk Health Secretary says astrazeneca vaccine, felt like an even bigger moment, the tier system is no longer strong another turning point in our way out enough to control the spread of this pandemic. Of the new variant of Primary Schools in most of england coronavirus in england. Re open, but theres growing concern in scotland, the first minister over safety and staff shortages. Is expected to announce new covid 19 President Trump is heard on tape restrictions following a sharp asking an election official to find him enough extra votes rise in cases. To have won the state of georgia. Democrats call it a disgrace. A coroner in malaysia delivers President Trump is heard on tape a verdict of death by misadventure asking an election official in the case of the franco irish to find him enough extra votes to have won the state of georgia. Teenager, nora quoirin. Democrats call it a disgrace. A coroner in malaysia delivers a verdict of death by misadventure in the case of the franco irish teenager, nora quoirin. Good afternoon. Borisjohnson has said there is no question he will soon be forced to implement tighter coronavirus restrictions in england. He warned people should be braced for tough, tough weeks to come. Hes under pressure to announce the restrictions with the labour leader keir starmer calling for a National Lockdown starting today. This morning the Health Secretary hello and welcome if youre watching matt hancock said the current in the uk or around the world, and stay with us for the latest news restrictions are not working. And analysis from here 0ur Political Correspondent and across the globe. Ben wrightjoins us now. Is there any indication as to when we are likely to get any sort of the first doses of the Oxford Astrazeneca coronavirus announcement . Not yet. All we have vaccine have been given to patients to go on as the Prime Ministers in the uk this morning, words this morning during a hospital at the start of whats visit in north london where the being described as the biggest Vaccination Programme first doses of the in the history of the nhs. Oxford astrazeneca vaccine were starting to be administered, in the nhs has over half a million which he clearly again was putting england on notice that further doses of the vaccines ready to go, restrictions are coming, and this is what Boris Johnson had with care home residents and staff, restrictions are coming, and this is what borisjohnson had to say. People aged over 80, if you think about it, and frontline nhs staff we have already got a lot of the country in tier 4, being first to receive it. Some of it in tier 3. What we have been waiting for is to the Health Secretary says see the impact of the tier 4 it is a Pivotal Moment in the uks fight against the virus. Measures on the virus. The Prime Minister has warned that it is a bit unclear restrictions in england still at the moment, but if you look at the are probably about to get tougher numbers there is no question as concern giows about a new, that we are going to have to take fast spreading variant of the virus. Tougher measures and we will be announcing those in due course. We wait to see what in due course labour said coronavirus was clearly out of control means. The Prime Minister also said and it was inevitable more schools the government was studying how are going to have to close as part effectively the tier for measures of a wider strategy that has we re effectively the tier for measures were working in terms of trying to a National Lockdown in place in the next 2a hours. Contain this particularly new more on that later. Virulent form of covid before announcing what those new measures might be. Remember, three quarters the first patient to be given the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine this morning of england are already in the at Oxford University hospital highest tier, tearful, so is the was 82 year old brian pinker. Government considering tier for plus he gave this reaction just after he received it. Four parts of england . Is it considering bringing areas in tier 3 well, to be honest, i didnt feel a thing. Up brilliant, yeah. Considering bringing areas in tier 3 up to tearful, effectively another National Lockdown, we wait and see but they have raised the possibility the vaccine means everything to me. That this coming around the corner. I mean, to my mind, its what has he said about schools . He the only way of getting back to a bit of normal life. Repeated he wants to see children at school, he thinks that is where they you know, this virus should be and the harm done to is terrible, isnt it . Saturday, first i knew that education is great and i think i was going to be here today, yeah. People across the political spectrum
very pleased, yeah, very pleased. And to work in the Education Sector understand that. But the governments current plan is to see the nurse who administered the firstjab, sam foster, all Primary Schools and secondary spoke to our medical editor, fergus walsh, shortly afterwards schools returning from january 18, and explained what it was like. Thats the current aim. But during his remarks this morning the prime it was a huge privilege. Every single patient that we have minister, i thought, his remarks this morning the Prime Minister, ithought, raised his remarks this morning the Prime Minister, i thought, raised a his remarks this morning the Prime Minister, ithought, raised a big question mark over that date because vaccinated over the last couple of weeks has got their own personal he accepts that certainly the secondary schools seem to be a much story as to the difference its going to make for them so no more liable to transmit the virus different in this morning with our first two patients. From children to other families than and what about you . Primary schools do so this is have you been immunised yet . I have been immunised, yes. Something that is clearly under i was immunised, ive been working intense review at the moment and in the Vaccine Centre that current january 18 deadline, it for a couple of weeks so i have received my vaccine. So it is obviously looks to me, could certainly slip. All systems go now. Everybody wants to be immunised there is a meeting today in as soon as possible. Westminster as they weigh up all of how quickly can you do this . These issues. That is correct. I think there is nothing more that the nhs wants to do now whitehall is considering this than to get this programme intensely today because the fact is going at real scale. Across the nhs there are many, many, that hospitals are now as full as many peer vaccinators that will now they were back in mid april during go out and support staff vaccines, continue with our patient they were back in mid april during the height of the first wave and vaccines and with colleague vaccines across the nation. This virus is spreading exponentially. So whitehall is
so there is nothing more knuckling down to work out what that we want to do than to get this Vaccine Programme done at a scale. Restrictions to announce and when. The Prime Minister talked again about trying to reinforce good professor stephen powis, National Medical director of nhs behaviour. Basic hygiene, social england, says this is a significant moment in the way out of the pandemic. Distancing, wearing masks, trying to double down on that core message, and im sure we will hear ministers four weeks ago i had the privilege repeat that during the course of to be in coventry for the first jab today. Also there is a meeting of of the Pfizer Vaccine. Remember, Maggie Keenan the Scottish Parliament in holyrood to discuss what the response should got that first jab. That felt like a huge moment in this pandemic and, be north of the border. That frames to be honest, today, when i saw the first jab the uk wide action that we are in the building behind me likely to see in the next day or so. Of the astrazeneca vaccine, it felt like an even bigger moment, thank you very much, ben. Another turning point in our way out of this pandemic. The roll out of the Coronavirus Vaccine developed by Oxford University and astrazeneca and the Health Secretary, matt hancock, says 530,000 doses of the vaccine are ready for use has begun in the uk. This week, and that the Distribution Programme is being accelerated. More than 500,000 doses are ready for use from today and the Health Secretary, matt hancock has called it it is a matter of getting a Pivotal Moment in the fight against the pandemic. The vaccine, as soon brian pinker, an 82 year old dialysis patient, as it is manufactured, was the first person to receive and then goes through the jab this morning the crucial safety checks, at 0xfords Churchill Hospital. Which obviously are very important, he said he was so pleased to get it. And getting it into the nhs and delivered into peoples arms. In fact, we have been able to accelerate that process because we now know that you get your protection after the first dose and the second dose can wait until 12 weeks away. That means that, over the first few months of the programme, we can effectively vaccinate twice well, to be honest, as many people as we would have i didnt feel a thing. Been able to otherwise. Yeah, brilliant. The vaccine means everything to me. To my mind, its the only way of getting back and obviously that is very good news to a bit of normal life. In terms of protecting people this virus is terrible, isnt it . And saving peoples lives saturday the first i knew i was going to be in today. And of course getting us out of this pleased, yeah. Very pleased. Pandemic and all the restrictions the nurse who administered the first jab, sam foster spoke to our medical editor fergus walsh shortly afterwards and explained what it was like. That we have to live with. It was a huge privilege. Every single patient we have vaccinated over the last couple of weeks have their own personal Health Secretary matt hancock. Stories of what difference our medical editor, fergus walsh, it is going to make for them. Gave his assessment of todays roll out. Its no different this morning with our first two patients. I really think it is a game changer and what about you . Because this vaccine doesnt need have you been immunised yet . I have been immunised, yes. I was immunised, ive been working to be transported at 70, in the Vaccine Centre it can be stored in a fridge, for a couple of weeks so i have transported in a fridge, received my vaccine. So its obviously and that makes it vital not only all systems go now. For the uk but indeed globally. Everybody wants to be immunised as soon as possible. How quickly can you do this . Because this is really the first i think there is nothing more global covid vaccine. The nhs wants to do more than get astrazeneca has said it will provide this programme going at real scale. Across the nhs and there are many, 100 million doses to the uk this many peer vaccinators that will now go out and support staff vaccines, year but 3 billion doses worldwide continue with our patient vaccines and with colleague and it will do that at cost. Vaccines across the nation. So there is nothing more it is five times cheaper that we want to do then get this programme rolled out at scale. Than the Pfizer Vaccine. It really has the potential to make a big impact notjust here in the uk professor stephen powis, but across the world. National medical director of nhs the first doses were given, england says this is a significant moment in the way out of the pandemic. There are people queueing four weeks ago i had the privilege to be in coventry for the firstjab behind me here to come in, Health Care Workers and others of the Pfizer Vaccine, remember Maggie Keenan who are in the priority groups. Got that first jab. And just to give you a reminder that felt like a huge moment in this pandemic. Of those groups, it is people over and to be honest, today when i saw 50, at the moment we are doing the firstjab in the building the over 80s but then behind me of the astrazeneca there are Front Line Health Care vaccine, felt like an even bigger moment, another turning point workers and people with Underlying Health conditions aged 16 64. In our way out of this pandemic. A huge number of people, a million so far have received the Health Secretary, the Pfizer Vaccine but 30 million matt hancock says 530,000 doses of the vaccine are ready for use more 30 million this week, and that the distribution still need to receive just one Dose Programme is being accelerated. And to do that we have heard the nhs it is a matter of getting the vaccine, as soon saying they could do 2 million immunisations a week butjust as it is manufactured, and then goes through the crucial safety checks, to give you a sense of that, even if they managed 2 million which obviously are very important, and getting it into the nhs immunisations a week, and delivered into peoples arms. That would not give everyone one dose by easter so it is a huge task. In fact, we have been able to accelerate that process because we now know that and of course what could be you get your protection the bottleneck is getting those after the first dose and the second doses to these centres around the country maybe a thousand dose can wait until 12 weeks away. By the end of the week. That means that, over the first few months of the programme, the government says there we can effectively vaccinate twice will not be any hold up as many people as we would have but each batch of doses, been able to otherwise. Whether its from pfizer or astrazeneca, needs to be approved and needs to be safety checked. And obviously that is very good news so i dont think we should judge in terms of protecting people this roll out on the first few days and saving peoples lives and of course getting us out of this because initially it is just pandemic and all the restrictions going to be a few hospitals that that we have to live with. Are giving this vaccine just to check that there are no unexpected side effects matt hancock. And also to do surveillance lets speak to our Health Correspondent katharine da but by the end of the week, costa whos in oxford. 1000 centres around the country will be giving the vaccine and then so, we are told it is an even bigger we should see this thing moment than the roll out of the
really ramping up. Pfizer vaccine last month. Tell us how quickly it is going to be rolled out. A really significant moment. You heard from the first patient 0ur medical editor, fergus walsh. Dr chris smith works brian pinker, and the third person as a consultant virologist at adden