Row over vaccines as the eu threatens to restrict supplies to other countries if it doesnt get what it says is its fair share. As the uk says supplies here wont be affected, the eus Health Commissioner vows to take tough action. In the future, all companies producing vaccines against covid in the eu will have to provide early notification whenever they want to export to vaccines to third countries. Im very confident with the team. We talk to them all the time. They are confident they will deliver for us, yes. And astrazeneca, the bulk of Astrazeneca Oxford is manufactured in the uk because we made that early investment. Well be asking if this row might affect supplies of vaccine here. Also this lunchtime 10 days quarantine in a hotel when you arrive back in england and you pay. The government plan which could scupper Summer Holiday plans. The growing toll of coronavirus. New figures which suggest more than 100,000 people have now died with covid i9. Bracing for the worst on the frontline at the Midlands Hospital which says the virus peak is yet to come. What did china know about the virus, and when . A special report on how officials controlled information in the first weeks of the pandemic. And coming up in sport on bbc news chelsea are set to name former psg and dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel as their new manager, following the sacking of frank lampard. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at 0ne. The supply of coronavirus vaccines is now a critical issue
as countires try to stem high infection rates. And the eu is angry because it says its not getting its fair share. Its threatened to impose controls on the export of vaccines made within the bloc, and that could affect the uks supply of the Pfizer Biontech jab. The eus Health Commissioner has criticised astrazeneca, saying the company hasnt delivered the number of vaccines it promised. The company says its because of supply problems. What does it mean for us . Well, the British Government says supplies of vaccines are tight but is confident it will receive enough doses to meet its targets. 0ur europe correspondent nick beake reports. The lorries leaving the main pfizer factory this morning bringing hope to the world. Laden with one of the vaccines that will help transport us out of the covid i9 nightmare. With such precious cargo on board, they are escorted all the way, but now there are concerns that few of these jabs could be coming to the uk. The
european union is angry that another company which makes the Oxford Astrazeneca shot will be sending it millions fewer doses than promised. It wants to know why. And in response, it has announced that vaccines leaving the eu are to be more tightly controlled, including those destined for britain. This new schedule is not those destined for britain. This new schedule is not acceptable those destined for britain. This new schedule is not acceptable to those destined for britain. This new schedule is not acceptable to the i schedule is not acceptable to the european union. In the future, all companies producing vaccines against covid i9 in the eu will have to provide early notification whenever they want to export vaccines to third countries. They want to export vaccines to third countries. European Union Countries have third countries. European Union Countries have been third countries. European Union Countries have been criticised. Third countries. European unionl countries have been criticised for the slow roll out of vaccines compared with the likes of the uk, and they wont be helped by the temporary slowdown in production here in belgium at the main pfizer plant. But this latest row over the supply of vaccines, who gets what and when, threatens to make this
international Health Crisis even more political at a time when countries are being told they need to Work Together to get us out of this crisis. The uk was the first in the world to approve a vaccine and more than 7 Million People have now received at least one jab. The minister responsible for the Vaccine Programme conceded supplies were tight but said the uk would still get enough doses. Im tight but said the uk would still get enough doses. Tight but said the uk would still get enough doses. Im very confident with the team. Get enough doses. Im very confident with the team, we get enough doses. Im very confident with the team, we talk get enough doses. Im very confident with the team, we talk to get enough doses. Im very confident with the team, we talk to the get enough doses. Im very confident with the team, we talk to the team l with the team, we talk to the team all the with the team, we talk to the team all the time and they are confident they will all the time and they are confident they will deliver for us and the bulk they will deliver for us and the bulk of they will deliver for us and the bulk of the Oxford Astrazeneca is manufactured in the uk because we made manufactured in the uk because we made that manufactured in the uk because we made that early investment in manufacturing capacity in the uk, which manufacturing capacity in the uk, which is manufacturing capacity in the uk, which is also good news, so i am confident which is also good news, so i am confident that we will meet the mid february target and then vaccinate mid february target and then vaccinate beyond that. The midfebruary target and then vaccinate beyond that. The global race to vaccinate vaccinate beyond that. The global race to vaccinate against vaccinate beyond that. The globali race to vaccinate against covid19 race to vaccinate against covid i9 has exposed big inequalities, with poorer countries, particularly outside europe, facing a long wait. The way out of this pandemic is by no means easy. 0ur Political CorrespondentDamian Grammaticas is in westminster. Is there a concern that this row could escalate and affect supplies here . fist could escalate and affect supplies here . �. , here . At the minute, what the government here . At the minute, what the government is here . At the minute, what the government is saying here . At the minute, what the government is saying is here . At the minute, what the government is saying is that i here . At the minute, what the i government is saying is that they are on track, on target to meet the 15 million doses offered by the middle of february two those priority groups. The government says that supply is lumpy, by which they mean it comes in spurts, but they think it will continue and will be fulfilled, and partly because this is about the oxford vaccine, much of which in the uk supply is made here. Some of that is made in the eu, and thatis some of that is made in the eu, and that is where the eu has its own argument with astrazeneca about reducing the supplies they are being promised there. The separate concern about the Pfizer Vaccine made in the eu, the eu is talking about a system
of notifications, not yet it seems any export controls, just notifying the eu about what is leaving the block. That is a dose that comes from the eu to hear. No worries about that at the minute, but what all of this shows is just how much countries, particularly in the eu, are relying on these vaccine supplies. You have other nations, australia, new zealand, taiwan, who have suppress the virus much more, but here the hope is all resting on these Vaccine Programmes and that all rests on the continued delivery of the vaccines themselves. Damien, thank ou of the vaccines themselves. Damien, thank you very of the vaccines themselves. Damien, thank you very much. Ministers are expected to approve plans could require some people arriving in england to quarantine in a hotel for ten days at their cost. Its not yet known if the restrictions would apply to everyone, orjust those returning from countries with more contagious variants. If implemented it is likely to be a further blow for the struggling International Travel industry, making holidays abroad an unlikely proposition. Theo leggett reports. Hotels are fine for foreign travel, but would you really want to be cooped up in one when you get back home . Under plans being discussed by the government, british citizens and residents arriving in england from countries deemed to be high risk would have to go into quarantine in hotels, which they would have to pay for. It is part of a strategy to limit infections from potentially dangerous new variants of the coronavirus. The government has already barred foreign nationals from entering the uk from most of south america and Southern Africa as well as portugal. This afternoon, the home secretary was tight lipped about the plans being discussed. It i may, the honourable gentleman has referred to newspaper reports and speculation will stop it would be wrong of me to speculate about any measures that are not in place right now, as policy is being developed. But the honourable gentleman to speak about quarantining and claims his party has called for tougher restrictions, but i think also the party opposite, if i may say so,
should also reflect on their position. Should also reflect on their position should also reflect on their osition. ,. ,. , position. Hotels are now being reared position. Hotels are now being prepared for position. Hotels are now being prepared for the position. Hotels are now being prepared for the challenge position. Hotels are now being prepared for the challenge of i prepared for the challenge of looking after people who cannot go out, may be infectious and could become ill. Out, may be infectious and could become ill out, may be infectious and could become ill. ,. ,. , become ill. Since the beginning of the pandemic become ill. Since the beginning of the pandemic we become ill. Since the beginning of the pandemic we have become ill. Since the beginning of the pandemic we have done become ill. Since the beginning of the pandemic we have done over. Become ill. Since the beginning of. The pandemic we have done over 300 risk assessments on our activities and how risk assessments on our activities and how we risk assessments on our activities and how we operate and changing our protocols, and how we operate and changing our protocols, so this would just be in addition protocols, so this would just be in addition to protocols, so this would just be in addition to that. Everything in the Hospitality Industry in terms of how we operate has changed and this would we operate has changed and this would he we operate has changed and this would be a further change. We obviously would be a further change. We obviously wait for the government guidelines to tell us specifically what guidelines to tell us specifically what we guidelines to tell us specifically what we need to do but we are well on our what we need to do but we are well on our way what we need to do but we are well on our way to be able to achieve it. For the on our way to be able to achieve it. For the International Travel industry it is a deeply worrying time. The new measures may have little Immediate Impact because very few people are arriving from abroad. But if they last into the peak summer period, or make people unwilling to book Summer Holidays, its could spell disaster for already struggling as nurses. The risk is we have already struggling as nurses. Tue risk is we have these already struggling as nurses. Tte risk is we have these restrictions in place and into the autumn and the sector is not able to have that summer period it was banking on to
earn money and bring in much needed revenue to replenish those Balance Sheets which had been decimated since march last year. It is sheets which had been decimated since march last year. Since march last year. It is still not known since march last year. It is still not known exactly since march last year. It is still not known exactly who since march last year. It is still not known exactly who will. Since march last year. It is still. Not known exactly who will have since march last year. It is still not known exactly who will have to go into Hotel Quarantine over how long or who will be exempt. All four uk nations are discussing the issue and are likely to adopt similar measures. The delay between contracting coronavirus and later being admitted to hospital means that despite a recent fall in cases, the pressure on the nhs continues to grow. With different parts of the country experiencing a peak of infection at different times, our Health Editor hugh pym has been to ashfield in nottinghamshire to see the impact on the frontline there. People need to know it is not a game. It is frightening. Barbara lived with cancer before it went into retreat. Theyre brilliant, lovely nurses. Then she was struck by covid. She was keen to get this message across. Just wear your mask and wash your hands. Thats all it is, isnt it . Thats all theyve got to do. I think it was last wednesday when i came in, i think, i dont remember. Going in . No. Along the corridor is paul who is 53 and considers himself fit. Hes over the worst now but he says it was a frightening experience. Yeah, i fought it for at home . At home, ijust couldnt cope any longer. Much of this floor of the hospital has always housed wards for those with respiratory conditions. And now theyve been expanded with room for nearly 100 patients in bays and cubicles. Almost all of them with covid. From experience i can tell you that im seeing more sicker patients this time than i saw in the first wave. Umar is a doctor in a e. He says theres been a huge influx of covid patients. In both his professional and personal life hes seen the savage impact of the virus. My parents have got covid, my mother in law is in icu at the moment, i just lost some very dear family relatives of covid. So when you see these patients in the hospital, itjust gives you that flashback as well. But you have got to shut that down and youve got to continue looking after your patients as best as you can. After every patient is seen, diane and her colleagues have to deep clean the cubicles, floors, walls and surfaces. She is on the covid frontline as much as anyone. Cant see no end to it, to be fair. And i think if you could see the light at the end of the tunnel, and somebody to say, its going to turn off, then that would be brilliant. But were soldiering on and were trying our very, very best to work as hard as we possibly can. How do you feel personally sometimes . Me . Upset, i go home and sometimes i could just sit and cry. Itsjust because its demanding at the moment. Machines beeping
this isnt a big city teaching hospital, so covid puts even more of a strain on resources. Theyve had to triple the number of intensive care beds, including converting a former childrens recovery area. Jen is a nurse whos been redeployed from another role to help out. Ive been a nurse for 21 years. Some of the shifts that i have had are the toughest that ive ever had, in particular one night shift that i had last week was one of the worst shifts ive ever had in 21 years of nursing. There are signs of hope in the hospital. A trial of a 24 7 Vaccination Centre has proved popular with nhs and care staff, getting theirjabs after changing shift. Youve got to have a sticker all right . Yeah. And in the maternity unit, life goes on. New life, with sam cuddling her new baby son 0liver. So it is difficult because we are not able to see family and things, but weve just welcomed a new little person into the world and, you know, it is a nice time for us, its a happy time. Its something to be celebrated. While there is hope, there is also sadness. Barbara died yesterday. Her family were keen for us to use her interview to warn of the serious consequences of covid. That report from hugh pym, camera journalist Harriet Bradshaw and producer dominic hurst. More than 100,000 deaths involving coronavirus have been registered in the uk by one measure. The office for National Statistics says the figures, which go up to 15 january, are based on death certificates that mention coronavirus. Dominic hughes reports. Jonathan is on the long, hard road to recovery, physically and
emotionally. A Front Line Health Care worker, he fell ill with covid 19 in october last year. Not just him, but members of his closest family as well. I just him, but members of his closest family as well family as well. I went into hospital on the 18th family as well. I went into hospital on the 18th of family as well. I went into hospital on the 18th of october family as well. I went into hospital on the 18th of october and family as well. I went into hospital on the 18th of october and my family as well. I went into hospital on the 18th of october and my mother was admitted in the early hours of the 20th of october and by sister was admitted to antrim hospital because the other side was very busy and she was admitted in the afternoon of the 20th of october and i was in on the evening of the 20th of october. I was in on the evening of the 20th of october of october. Jonathan ended up in intensive care of october. Jonathan ended up in intensive care and of october. Jonathan ended up in intensive care and then of october. Jonathan ended up in intensive care and then on of october. Jonathan ended up in intensive care and then on the i of october. Jonathan ended up in i intensive care and then on the same respiratory ward on which he worked, in the same hospital as his mother martina, he was able to see her and be with her when she died. To martina, he was able to see her and be with her when she died. Be with her when she died. To know that our be with her when she died. To know that your mother be with her when she died. To know that your mother wasnt be with her when she died. To know that your mother wasnt coming i be with her when she died. To know. That your mother wasnt coming home was very hard. Mum was the link. She was very hard. Mum was the link. She was alwa