Covid-19: GPs begin vaccinations, schools latest and panto for one

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Monday morning. We'll have another update for you at 18:00 GMT.

1. Vaccination programme widens

GP surgeries in England will begin vaccinating patients against coronavirus today. Practices in more than 100 locations will receive their first batches of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab and will operate seven days a week, 12 hours a day. If you're eligible, you'll be contacted. The surgeries are the first in a network of 1,200 across the UK that'll eventually deliver vaccinations. Our health correspondent Nick Triggle says supply is key, and what could really change the speed of the rollout is approval of the vaccine developed by Oxford University. Regulators are currently assessing its safety and effectiveness - see how that process works. Elsewhere, vaccinations will also begin later in Scottish care homes.

2. Schools latest

Head teachers in England are calling for local authorities to have the freedom to close schools in areas with high levels of Covid-19. The London borough of Greenwich has become the first to ask its schools to move learning online from Tuesday. The council's Labour leader cited the "extreme risk" posed by the virus, but the Department for Education insists it remains a national priority to keep schools open. The Welsh Government has announced that from January testing will be rolled out in its schools for pupils and staff identified as close contacts. Those who test negative each day can stay in class.

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3. Gowns go unused

Millions of medical gowns bought for the NHS at the end of the first lockdown costing £122m have never been used. The gowns were ordered by the government from a supplier, PPE Medpro, which had been set up just a month earlier, and no other companies were asked to bid for the contract. PPE Medpro says it had met the agreed terms. The Department of Health said it now had "a four-month stockpile of all Covid-critical PPE in place". See more on how well set-up the NHS is when it comes to kit for the winter.

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The gowns ordered from PPE Medpro were similar to that pictured here

4. 'People threaten us and block our calls'

The test and trace system in England has come in for a lot of flak, particularly for failing to reach a large proportion of contacts. But one tracer has chosen to speak out because she feels the public has so far escaped its share of the blame. She says her experience in the role has left her "shocked and disgusted" - many calls are ignored, while lots of those that do get answered are met with abuse. Read more - and see how the system is supposed to work.

5. Panto for one

The pandemic has kept many pantomime performers off the stage this Christmas, but some companies have come up with creative ways to keep going, as we've discovered. Dundee Rep Present and the Scottish Dance Theatre are putting on shows outdoors for seven individuals, nominated by their friends and families. George McPherson, who is 102 years old, described his theatrical treat as "absolutely wonderful". He watched a potted version of A Christmas Carol in his own cul-de-sac.

Dundee Rep perform their show for George McPherson

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Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

Plus, many of us are hoping to return to the office in 2021, but workplace air quality is a growing concern. What are employers and tech companies doing to improve it?

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