Coronavirus latest news: V-Day is here - Britons set to become first in world to get Covid vaccine
'V-Day': NHS chief hails 'turning point' as vaccinations begin
The hospitals that have the vaccine, and how it will be rolled out
The first Britons to receive the coronavirus vaccine will be getting the jab in just a few hours as the UK today becomes the first country in the world to begin a national vaccination programme.
The head of the NHS said “V-day” marks a “decisive turning point” in Britain’s battle against the pandemic.
Today, 50 centres will start the process of vaccinating the country by administering about 300 jabs a day.
Those over 80, care home workers, and NHS frontline staff will be targeted first.
Matt Hancock said the country would “breathe a collective sigh of relief” as the most vulnerable begin to be protected - but urged those eligible to “sit tight” until their turn comes.
Follow the latest updates below.
06:30 AM
'It's V-Day - let's get this done'
As the NHS gets ready to administer the first Covid-19 vaccinations, health secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: "It's V-Day. Thank you to everyone who's made this possible, from @MHRAgovuk clinicians, NHS admin staff, doctors, nurses, everyone who volunteered in the trials and those getting the jab today.
"Let's get this done!"
06:15 AM
Grandfather-of-nine among first to get vaccine
An 87-year-old race relations campaigner has said he is "delighted to be doing my bit" as he prepares to become one of the first people in the world to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
Dr Hari Shukla, from Tyne and Wear, will receive the Pfizer jab at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle at 8am along with his wife Ranjan after getting a call from his doctor last week.
The grandfather-of-nine, who has a "Local Hero" plaque in his honour on the city's quayside, said: "I'm so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine. I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help."
Dr Shukla, who was made an MBE in 2003 and a CBE in 2016, played an important role improving race relations in the North East as director of the Tyne and Wear Racial Equality Council.
He was born in Kenya, where his father had moved from Bombay to work on railways, and went on to study at Exeter University before moving to Newcastle in 1974, according to an online biography.
05:58 AM
'So happy to have him back'
Australia's western state has begun allowing travellers from Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) to enter without having to quarantine for the first time in eight months, in the latest sign the country is returning to some kind of normalcy.
Passengers on a Qantas flight arrived in Perth, the capital of Western Australia, from Sydney to emotional scenes of families reuniting after months of separation.
The move comes as Australia's two most populous states have seen little to no new cases in recent weeks, and underscores Australia's success in containing the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We're so happy," Tithi Kulkarni told reporters in Perth as she hugged her boyfriend Ruchira Jayasena who had been in Sydney for the last six months. "So happy to have him back."
05:03 AM
Hong Kong tries to stem fourth wave
Hong Kong will ban evening dining at restaurants and close fitness centres as part of new measures aimed at stemming a fourth wave of coronavirus infections.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam says the rules aim to reduce the "number of people on the streets", echoing moves taken by authorities when cases spiked earlier this year.
Dining out will be banned after 6 pm, beauty and massage parlours will be forced to close, and civil servants would be asked to work from home, she said.
Hong Kong's strict social distancing measures have largely helped keep infections to under 7000 in the city of 7.5 million, with 112 deaths.
But daily recorded cases have risen again to more than 100 on several occasions in recent weeks, the highest level since July.
03:25 AM
South Korea buys vaccines after surge of cases
South Korea said on Tuesday it had signed deals to provide coronavirus vaccines for 44 million people next year, as the country battles a wave of infections that authorities say could overwhelm its medical system.
The government has arranged to buy 20 million doses each from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna Inc, and another 4 million doses from Johnson & Johnson's Janssen, enough to cover up to 34 million people, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a briefing.
"We had initially planned to secure vaccines for 30 million people but decided to purchase more, as there is uncertainty over the success of the vaccine candidates and the competition is intense among countries for early purchases," he said.
Shipments of the vaccine will begin no later than March and vaccination is likely to begin in the second half of next year.
01:54 AM
Britain 'must expand its vaccine industry post-Brexit'
Kate Bingham, the UK Vaccine Taskforce chairman, said Britain should expand its manufacturing capacity, so that the country is no longer reliant on international supply chains.
Writing in The Telegraph, she suggests that post-Brexit, Britain should "shout from the rooftops" about its capabilities in vaccine manufacturing, ending a "significant reliance" on international supplies and encouraging other countries to develop vaccines here.
Ms Bingham said that in the new year trials will begin to look at heterologous boost - whether the combination of two different vaccines can be more effective than just one, or mean the doses can go further.
Read more: Kate Bingham: Britain can lead the world in vaccines, so let's shout it from the rooftops
01:51 AM
White House 'opted out of Pfizer vaccine'
The Trump administration opted last summer not to buy millions of additional doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, a decision that could delay the delivery of a second batch of doses until the American manufacturer has fulfilled its orders to other countries.
The revelation, reported by the Associated Press on Monday, came a day before President Trump will aim to take credit for the speedy development of forthcoming coronavirus vaccines at a White House summit on Tuesday.
Pfizer's vaccine is expected to be approved by a panel of Food and Drug Administration scientists as soon as this week, with delivery of 100 million doses – enough for 50 million Americans – expected in coming months.
Read more: US set for delay in receiving Pfizer vaccine
12:50 AM
Kay Burley says sorry for breaking Covid rules
Sky News presenter Kay Burley has apologised for an "error of judgment" after breaking Covid-19 safety rules.
The TV journalist said she was celebrating her 60th birthday at a "Covid compliant" restaurant on Saturday and afterwards "popped into another" venue to use the bathroom. The gathering was reportedly in London, which is under Tier 2 restrictions.
Writing on Twitter, Burley said: "I want to apologise to you all for an error of judgment. On Saturday night I was enjoying my 60th birthday at a Covid compliant restaurant. I am embarrassed to say that later in the evening I inadvertently broke the rules.
"I had been waiting for a taxi at 11pm to get home. Desperate for the loo I briefly popped into another restaurant to spend a penny. I can only apologise."
Read more: Sky News presenter Kay Burley apologises for breaking Covid-19 rules
12:45 AM
Today's top stories
NHS "V-Day" marks a "decisive turning point" in the battle against Covid-19, the head of the health service has said, as hospital hubs prepare to start vaccinating the vulnerable from 8am
Dr Hari Shukla, 87-year-old father-of-four and grandfather-of-nine has dedicated most of his life to promoting race relations, will be one of the first people in the country to receive a vaccine against coronavirus, and he says he is “very excited”
The Government must consider placing London in Tier 3 restrictions, scientists have said, after 21 out of the 32 boroughs showed worrying rises in cases
Pubs are encouraging drinkers to purchase tickets for their live music nights, in order to exploit a loophole which means customers do not have to order a 'substantial meal' when buying alcohol
Scotland’s First Minister has faced accusations that she is treating Scots like infants - while wasting taxpayers’ money - after SNP ministers published a coronavirus "etiquette guide" that was condemned as "the definition of patronising"
Business lunches in pubs could be interrupted by police if they did not think people were meeting for work, according to police sources