These are the UK coronavirus stories you need to know about today.
Monday Rollout for Oxford Jab
The MHRA has approved the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The rollout begins on Monday 4 January for over-18s, with two standard doses, 4 to 12 weeks apart.
England's Health Secretary Matt Hanock told the Commons: "We already have 530,000 doses available to the UK from Monday with millions due from AstraZeneca by the beginning of February."
In a news release, Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and chief investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial, said: "The regulator’s assessment that this is a safe and effective vaccine is a landmark moment, and an endorsement of the huge effort from a devoted international team of researchers and our dedicated trial participants. Though this is just the beginning, we will start to get ahead of the pandemic, protect health and economies when the vulnerable are vaccinated everywhere, as many as possible, as soon as possible."
Professor Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians said it was "brilliant news", adding: "The pandemic is bringing the NHS to its knees and this is the way out.
"Frontline NHS and care staff must be vaccinated in the next couple of weeks as a priority as the current pressures on the NHS will be impossible to withstand without a fit and protected workforce."
First Dose Priority
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced prioritisation of the first dose of both approved vaccines: "Having studied evidence on both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines, the JCVI has advised the priority should be to give as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing the required two doses in as short a time as possible.
"Everyone will still receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection."
Mr Hancock told the Commons the new advice means many second jabs will be rebooked: "Those who have appointments before 4 January should come forward for their appointment. Those who have appointments from 4 January onwards, those appointments will be rescheduled.
"I understand that this will obviously mean some effort, especially from primary care. And I understand that some people are looking forward to having their second dose. However, the overriding health priority, and all the clinical advice, is that because we can get that protection from the vaccine after the first dose, to save lives we need to move to the 12 week window."
England's Tier 4 Extended
A major incident has been declared in Essex over concerns that rising cases could overwhelm health services.
Three hospitals in the Mid and South Essex NHS Trust were put on critical alert yesterday.
"The NHS is under very significant pressure," Matt Hanock told the Commons before announcing an extension of England's Tier 4 measures from tomorrow to include three quarters of the population.
"Unfortunately, this new variant is now spreading across most of England and cases are doubling fast. It is therefore necessary to apply Tier 4 measures to a wider area, including the remaining parts of the South East, as well as large parts of the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and the South West," Mr Hancock said.
Before the announcement, NHS Providers urged the Government to act "with boldness, speed and clarity".
Labour's Jonathan Ashworth challenged Mr Hancock on offers of help from retired staff going unanswered: "There were reports today that only 1 in 8 retired NHS staff, just 5000 out of an eligible 30,000 who applied, have been brought back to help. Shouldn't we be making full use of this resource, especially to help with vaccination?"
Daily Data
In today's daily data another 50,023 UK positive tests were reported and 981 deaths. Some of the deaths may have been delayed over the Christmas period.
There are 23,771 COVID-19 patients in hospital and 1847 ventilator beds are in use.
ONS Data
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data show deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 18 December 2020 were 12.7% above the 5-year average, and 22.9% of all deaths mentioned COVID-19.
UK deaths were 1489 higher than the 5-year average and 3270 involved COVID-19.
ONS infection survey data suggest that 17-23 December an average of 800,900 people in England had COVID-19. That equates to 1.47% of the population having COVID-19 or around 1 in 70.
"Positivity rates for cases compatible with the new variant continued to sharply increase since the beginning of December, whereas rates of other positives have continued to decline over this period," ONS said.
Variant
The UK variant of COVID-19 is linked with higher loads of virus in the blood, according to new preprint research from Public Health England and Birmingham University.
Test and Trace data show that around 35% of patients infected by the variant form seem to have very high levels of virus in their samples, compared to 10% of patients without the variant.
Schools
The new term will be delayed for secondary schools in England, the Education Secretary announced.
Exam year students will go back on 11 January, with others a week later.
Most primary schools will open as planned on Monday.
At a Downing Street briefing, Boris Johnson clarified the situation for universities: "We're also asking universities to reduce the number of students who return to campus in January, prioritising medical courses, and others requiring face-to-face, teaching. And in all cases, students should be offered two rapid tests when they return."
See more global coronavirus updates in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Centre.
