Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning as most primary schools in England are due to reopen.

The government is under pressure from unions to keep more schools shut and introduce online learning for a period, to keep coronavirus infection rates down.

The health secretary says schools are safe but adds, talking about closures in London and the South East "when schools are open we know that spreads the disease more".

Read more on school closures here

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the new UK coronavirus variant “makes life much harder for everybody” as it is harder to control the spread because it passes on so much faster.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that tougher virus rules may be needed in the short-term.

Hancock said that the new variant means that the old tier system in England “which was clearly working is no longer strong enough”.

He says the “saving grace” is the vaccine but before that can help curb infections “we have some very difficult weeks ahead”.

Though scientists had warned the world was due a pandemic, no-one could have predicted the scale and impact of Covid-19. So should we expect more pandemics in the future?

The BBC's Mattea Bubalo explains.

The NHS is under “significant pressure” and this was why the government had “to bring in such strong restrictions” Health Secretary Matt Hancock acknowledges.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there were tier three areas in England where the virus is "clearly spreading" – some of those areas are where it’s “increasing the fastest” – and he says the government “won’t shy away” from bringing in tougher measures.

“We have shown that we have been prepared to move incredibly quickly – within 24 hours if we think that is necessary – and we keep these things under review all the time."

He says the government looks at the data on a daily basis and at the moment that “there are significant rises”.

Hancock was also asked about the threat of the new South Africa coronavirus variant, which scientists say has been behind a rapid spread of the virus in the country.

He said he was “incredibly worried” and it was a “very, very significant problem”, adding that he has spoken to his South African counterpart and it is “even more of a problem than the UK new variant”.

News of the Oxford vaccine rollout features on several front pages in the UK press this morning, as do warnings from Boris Johnson that a tougher tier-system of coronavirus restrictions may be needed.

"A national lockdown looms", external, is the Daily Telegraph headline, while the Metro quips "Happy New Tier", external.

The i expects more areas to be placed in tier four, while the Times writes Boris Johnson will make a decision on Wednesday, when figures reveal the impact of Christmas mixing.

The continuing row over the reopening of primary schools leads the Daily Mirror which describes the situation as "class chaos", external.

The Sun celebrates the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine with the headline"Jabby Monday", external and the Daily Express says the vaccine will give hope to tens of millions, external.

Read more here.

The start of the new term will be delayed by two weeks for many secondary school pupils in England.

Most primary schools in England reopen today, but schools in areas with very high rates of coronavirus infection will stay shut.

Schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also open later than normal.

Secondary schools in England will stagger their return.

The plan is that pupils taking exams in 2021 will now start on 11 January, with other year groups returning in person on 18 January.

The delay is intended to give schools time to set up mass testing.

Primary schools in London, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire are not opening today.

See the full list of areas here.

In Wales, there will be "flexibility" at the beginning of term, external, with teaching due to start in most places from today. Schools are expected to offer face-to-face learning for most pupils by 11 January, with a full return by 18 January.

In Northern Ireland, primary school pupils will be taught online until 11 January. In secondary schools, years 8 to 11 will be taught online throughout January. Years 12 to 14 will return to school after the first week of January.

In Scotland, the Christmas holidays have been extended to 11 January, and the following week will be online learning only, external. A full return to face-to-face learning is planned for 18 January.

Brian Pinker says he is "so pleased" to have become the first person outside of trials to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

The 82-year-old, who describes himself as Oxford born and bred, also said he was "really proud it was invented in Oxford".

"The nurses, doctors and staff today have all been brilliant and I can now really look forward to celebrating my 48th wedding anniversary with my wife Shirley later this year."

Sam Foster, chief nursing officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who administered the vaccine to Mr Pinker, said: "It was a real privilege to be able to deliver the first Oxford vaccine at the Churchill Hospital here in Oxford, just a few hundred metres from where it was developed.

"We look forward to vaccinating many more patients and health and care staff with the Oxford vaccine in the coming weeks which will make a huge difference to people living in the communities we serve and the staff who care for them in our hospitals."

Dialysis patient Brian Pinker, 82, has become the first person to be vaccinated with the new Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after being given the jab at Oxford University Hospital, NHS England has said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the UK government is going to reduce the amount of bureaucracy and “streamline” the process to allow retired doctors to help with the rollout of the vaccine.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he also defended the UK’s plan to give the two doses of both the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines 12 weeks apart, having initially planned to leave 21 days between the Pfizer jabs.

Pfizer has said it tested the vaccine's efficacy only when the two vaccines were given up to 21 days apart, and the move has also been criticised by the British Medical Association.

But Hancock said he had spoken with the BMA, and it supported the move to a 12-week schedule. He said the association's concern was over having to reschedule appointments.

He added: “It’s a really important reason we did this... this way we can save more lives.”

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

The Oxford vaccine was approved on 30 December following trials showing that it stops 70% of people developing Covid symptoms.

The data also shows a strong immune response in older people.

• There is also intriguing data that suggests perfecting the dose could increase protection up to 90%
• The UK has ordered 100 million doses
• It is given in two doses

This may be one of the easiest vaccines to distribute, because it does not need to be stored at very cold temperatures.

It is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus from chimpanzees, that has been modified to not grow in humans.

See here for more information on the other vaccines.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has hailed the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca as a "vital step" in the UK’s battle against coronavirus.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast just now, he said he was “really pleased” the NHS could to start the vaccination programme this morning, saying it is the “first country in the world to get to this point and have this easy to administer vaccine”.

Unlike the Pfizer jab - which has to be kept at an extremely cold temperature (-70C) - the Oxford vaccine can be stored in a normal fridge.

He says there are going to be “a tough few weeks ahead” but the vaccine is “the way out” of the pandemic.

The government has been able to “accelerate” the vaccination programme, he says, as “we now know that you get your protection after the first dose and the second dose can wait 12 weeks”, meaning effectively double the amount of people can be vaccinated in the next few weeks.

Image source, Reuters

The first doses of theOxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus jab are to be given as the UK accelerates its vaccine programme to tackle a surge in cases.

Six hospital trusts - in Oxford, London, Sussex, Lancashire and Warwickshire - will begin administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab today, five days after it was approved, with 530,000 doses ready for use.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has described it as a "pivotal moment" in the UK's fight against the virus, as vaccines will help curb infections and ultimately allow restrictions to be lifted.

Most other available doses will be sent to hundreds of GP-led services and care homes across the UK later in the week, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

On Sunday more than 50,000 new confirmed Covid cases were recorded in the UK for the sixth day running.

Read more here.

Welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll be bringing you all the latest developments throughout the day. Here’s a round-up of the main headlines:

• The first doses of the newly-approved Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine are to be given in the UK this morning. More than half a million doses of the vaccine are ready for use today
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned tougher virus rules may be needed in the short-term to tackle a surge in cases
• Many of England's primary schools are opening today after the Christmas holidays, with rows continuing over whether pupils should return with the current Covid restrictions
• The Scottish government will meet later to consider whether further Covid restrictions are necessary. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will then make an urgent statement to the Holyrood Parliament
• Working parents trying to balance work and childcare should be put on furlough while British schools are closed, the Trades Union Congress has urged
• Elsewhere, experts have raised concerns over India's emergency approval of a locally-produced coronavirus vaccine - known as Covaxin - before the completion of trials