This is bbc news, the headlines at 8pm. Calls for more support for the uks travel and Tourism Sector after the government imposes tougher restrictions on arrivals to keep out new strains of coronavirus. A further 1,295 people have died in the uk according to the latest covid figures. But the number of new infections has dropped to its lowest level so far this year. The worlds biggest Vaccination Programme gets underway in india. The country hopes to inoculate 300 Million People byjuly, with priority being given to frontline healthcare workers. Senior Police Officers in the uk says their investigations have been compromised after hundreds of thousands of arrest records were deleted from the Police National computer. President Electjoe Biden sets out plans to speed up immunisations in the United States
promising to vaccinate 100 Million People within his first 100 days in office. And coming up in half an hour, here on bbc news our world tells the story of the holidaymakers who found themselves trapped by a in californias Sierra National forest. Good evening. The Airline Industry says it need urgent Financial Support from the government if it is to survive another long period of travel curbs. The calls come after the government announced tougher restrictions on arrivals which its insisting will protect the public from new variants of covid 19. From monday, all visitors arriving in the uk will have to quarantine. Heres our business
correspondent katie austin. We are being told to stay home now but last summer the travel corridor system help some holidays happen. Now new virus variants are emerging in that system is being suspended. It affects jeff who is working in bahrain. He is due to fly to britain in early february when his contract ends. If they cancel that, basically we will be living in a hotel here until such time we can get a flight home. The halt to travel corridors is the latest restriction to be introduced. It means from monday, people arriving into the uk from anywhere must quarantine for ten days, or they can take a covid test on the fifth day, pay for it, and if it is negative they can leave quarantine early. The rules applied to eurostar and seaports, but not some jobs like hauliers, and not to people travelling within the uk and ireland. Also from monday, the requirement kicks in to show a negative covid test within 72 hours of departing to the uk. There have been fresh calls for urgent targeted support for the aviation and aerospace sectors, which have suffered badly already, losing thousands ofjobs. The aviation minister accepted the announcement was bad news for them. The most important thing for all of the travel industry is we are able to get people out and about travelling again safely as soon as possible. Its what we are doing with the vaccine, a massive roll out of over 3. 2 million jabs, that is what offers the real prospect of a better time to the Aviation Industry and the whole of the travel industry. Labour said the government should have acted earlier. Groups representing the travel industry accept the rules need to tighten but they are asking where things go from here. We are saying to the government that they need to look at all of the measures theyve got in place for travel at the moment and all of those restrictions,
and has actually come up with a plan to move forward so where there are restrictions they start to lift and there is a clear plan in place. For many travel and holiday companies, the light at the end of the tunnel looks a bit more distant. Katie austin, bbc news. The latest government figures show there were 41,346 new Coronavirus Infections recorded in the latest 24 hour period, which means that on average the number of new cases reported per day in the last week is 48,565 a sign that those cases are beginning to fall. Across the uk an average of 35,882 people were in hospital with coronavirus over the seven days to thursday. 1,295 deaths were reported thats people who died within 28 days of a positive covid 19 test. On average in the past week, 1,103 deaths were announced every day. The total number of deaths so far across the uk is 88,590. The uk has now started a programme of mass vaccinations, 32a,233 people have had their first dose of one of the three approved covid 19 vaccines in the latest 2a hour period, taking the overall number of people whove had their firstjab tojust over 3. 5 million. Toughened lockdown restrictions have come into force in scotland due to a rapidly spreading strain of covid 19. Further measures have been brought in to stop the spread of coronavirus and limit non essential contact. It comes as scotland has recorded 1,753 new case in the past 2a hours and 78 deaths of people who tested positive for covid 19 in the last 28 days. Much of scotland is already in lockdown, but the number of new cases is still stubbornly high. The new variant is dominant and there is increasing
pressure on the nhs. That is why we are seeing these new restrictions. If people went for their Takeaway Coffee or takeaway food today, which were still able to do, but you are not allowed to go into the cafe or restaurant any more for that. You have to stay outside, and it will either be delivered outside by a member of staff or delivered through a hatch. Another thing that will change if you do some shopping over click and collect, it will be a bit more restricted as to the things that you can order. It will be what has been described as more essential items. Baby equipment or clothes, books or shoes. And you have to make an appointment. You cannotjust turn up and you cannot go inside the shop your items will be brought outside. It is things like that that are discouraging people from hanging around in groups of people outside shops. And trying to avoid the transmission of the virus, or at least cut down on the transmission of the virus. But even though these new restrictions are coming in, the main message from the Scottish Government is very much to stay at home unless what you are doing outside is absolutely essential. Another thing we are hearing about today is an outbreak of coronavirus on the island of barra. Up until now, there have not been cases in barra, but Health Officials in the Western Isles have described this as serious and escalating. The number of figures, cases, they had yesterday, it was up to 27. And more people were having to self isolate more than 100 people. That is around a tenth of the islands population. Uk Police Chiefs say their investigations have been compromised after thousands of fingerprint, dna and arrest records were accidentally deleted from the national computer. A letter sent by the national Police Chiefs council and seen by bbc news says the mistake might prevent officers from linking offenders to crime scenes. Policing minister Kit Malthouse said officers are trying to recover the data. Labour says the home secretary, priti patel will be responsible for criminals walking free. Ms patel says home Office Engineers are working to restore the data. This is extraordinarily serious. Priti patel will be responsible for criminals walking free because we arent going to be able to link suspects to crime scenes without the dna and the fingerprint evidence. Yesterday the home secretary was hiding, not even giving information. She still hasnt done that. Harriet wistrich is a lawyer and founder of the centre for womensjustice. She said that if any of the Police Records cant be recovered, it could compromise a number of active cases. In addition to the dna
and all of the other material that may be lost, i understand they have lost records of hundreds of thousands of arrests. Now, in relation to serious sexual offending which is an area we deal with a lot, we know that the number of women and people who report rape and other serious sexual offences, less than 3 result in a prosecution and even less in a conviction. That doesnt mean there arent, you know, that those men arent responsible for the sexual attacks. Like thejohn worboys case, he attacked over 100 women before he was eventually apprehended and caught. 0ver ten women reported him, but over and over again the police didnt think they had anything to prosecute. It was only when they put those. That evidence together, and realised that a pattern was very, very similar, that they were then able to prosecute him. So, you cannot underestimate the importance of having records of somebody. Even if they arent convicted of a crime. From offending. The Police National computer isnt only for investigations, either, it is used in a number of different ways. For example, in parole. In the family courts it can be very important, because sometimes you wont meet the threshold for a criminal conviction, but there is nonetheless evidence that somebody was abusive, Domestic Abuse relationship, or a sexually violent. Because he wasnt convicted it doesnt mean that that evidence isnt really, really important. Those are some examples of areas we deal with where we are
very, very concerned about the potential permanent loss of evidence. The doctors� union, the british medical association, has said its extremely concerned by reports that some unused coronavirus vaccines are being thrown away. 0ur health correspondent, katharine da costa, explained a little earlier whats happening to the vaccines the government set a target to vaccinate 15 million of the most Vulnerable People by mid february with the aim of reaching 2 million vaccinations a week. Some Vaccination Centres are running 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The Pfizer Vaccine has a limited shelf life once defrosted. The doctors magazine pulse says there are reports that dozens of doses are being wasted at the end of the day rather than being given to other patients or as second doses under current guidance. Other doctors are saying they are managing to use them all up. The bma says wasting vaccine is morally wrong and it wants doctors to be able to use their discretion. They say it is better to give it a patient outside of the priority group, or as a second dose, rather than seeing it end up in the bin. Nhs england says there is no reason for them to be wasted. Vaccination centres need to be filling all of their slots and they should have a back up list for patients and staff to be called in at short notice. Costanza pearce is a Senior Reporter at pulse magazine, an industry magazine for gps. Thank you very much forjoining us. What are gps telling you about the difficulties of making sure all the vaccine gets used every . Difficulties of making sure all the vaccine gets used every . Thanks for havin vaccine gets used every . Thanks for having me vaccine gets used every . Thanks for having me gps vaccine gets used every . Thanks for having me. Gps have vaccine gets used every . Thanks for having me. Gps have been vaccine gets used every . Thanks for having me. Gps have been talking. Having me. Gps have been talking about some problems around delivery, sometimes getting extra doses than they were expecting, and it has
meant that sometimes there is the unavoidable leftover amount of vaccine, and there have been some ambiguities around what to do with that and that had led to some of that and that had led to some of that wastage. find that and that had led to some of that wastage that and that had led to some of that wastage. That and that had led to some of that wastaue. �. , , that wastage. And what then are gps are bein that wastage. And what then are gps are being advised that wastage. And what then are gps are being advised to that wastage. And what then are gps are being advised to do that wastage. And what then are gps are being advised to do because that wastage. And what then are gps are being advised to do because this| are being advised to do because this vaccine is precious. Yes. Vaccine is precious. Yes, absolutely, vaccine is precious. Yes, absolutely, very vaccine is precious. Yes, | absolutely, very precious. Vaccine is precious. Yes, absolutely, very precious. We vaccine is precious. Yes, absolutely, very precious. We were really happy to be able to clarify that yesterday with some news from nhs england that gps were able to use any sort of leftover vaccines to start vaccinating the next cohort, the third one, those over 75. How eas in the third one, those over 75. How easy in practice the third one, those over 75. How easy in practice is the third one, those over 75. How easy in practice is it the third one, those over 75. How easy in practice is it to the third one, those over 75. How easy in practice is it to do that because people are not necessarily that fleet of foot and managing to get to where they need to be in time . ~ ,. , get to where they need to be in time . ~ ,. , ~. , get to where they need to be in time . ~ , ~. ,. , get to where they need to be in time . � , 4. ,. , time . Absolutely, we know that gps have been spending time . Absolutely, we know that gps have been spending hours time . Absolutely, we know that gps have been spending hours calling. Have been spending hours calling
patients up to get them booked in, so it is not that easy to get it done quickly and it is a serious logistical undertaking. 0ne done quickly and it is a serious logistical undertaking. One way to be able to do that is to have a sort of back up list of people, but that can be difficult if elderly patients need to organise transport to get themselves to the surgery to get the jab. Themselves to the surgery to get the ab. ,. , ,. , jab. How much latitude the gps have. You have said jab. How much latitude the gps have. You have said they jab. How much latitude the gps have. You have said they can jab. How much latitude the gps have. You have said they can vaccinate you have said they can vaccinate those in the next cohort, those over 75, why notjust go for whoever is due to have a vaccine and can make it to the surgery on the day . The key consideration it to the surgery on the day . Tta key consideration is it to the surgery on the day . Tt2 key consideration is to keep going through those risk groups, taking the most at risk first, that has been the key concern from the government and from nhs england, so i think they are mostly keen to stick to that order as best they can
and that seems to be what is happening at the minute. You might not know the happening at the minute. You might not know the answer happening at the minute. You might not know the answer to happening at the minute. You might not know the answer to this, happening at the minute. You might not know the answer to this, but happening at the minute. You might| not know the answer to this, but how different are the various regions of the country in terms of people declining or not turning up for their vaccines . Declining or not turning up for theirvaccines . T declining or not turning up for their vaccines . Declining or not turning up for their vaccines . ,. , their vaccines . I am not sure about eole their vaccines . I am not sure about peeple declining their vaccines . I am not sure about people declining or their vaccines . I am not sure about people declining or not their vaccines . I am not sure about people declining or not turning their vaccines . I am not sure about people declining or not turning up. | people declining or not turning up. Theres been recent data out about the areas that have managed to vaccinate the most people so far and i think the north east and north west are doing the best at the minute, i cant remember which of the top of my head, but we dont know at the minute whether that is to do with people being more willing to do with people being more willing to dig up the vaccine or whether it isjust to dig up the vaccine or whether it is just logistical things like deliveries arriving or any other kind of planning that has happened. That will be later that i am sure a lot of people would find very useful to have. Thank you very much for joining us. A huge coronavirus Vaccination Programme has begun in india. With a population of over 1. 3bn, the government hopes to inoculate 300 Million People by august. To date india has reported over 10. 5 million coronavirus cases thats more than any any nation except the United States. From delhi, our south asia correspondent, rajini Vaidya Nathan reports. In a nation of 1. 3 billion, sanitation worker manish kumar became the first to receive the Covid Vaccine. Translation the fear in my mind has gone. I everyone should get the vaccine because this is how we save our country. The countrys Prime Minister used a virtual address to kick off what he described as the Worlds Largest immunisation programme. Front line and Health Care Staff take priority in this initial roll out. At another hospital in delhi, a red rose for everyone who has had a jab, like this doctor, who has treated countless Covid Patients himself in recent months. How are you feeling now you have had vaccine . I am feeling absolutely safe and absolutely fit and absolutely fine. Verijyous, very ecstatic. This is one of around 3000 Vaccination Centres which have been set up across india. Here, and in other places, they are hoping to vaccinate around 100 people a day, which means, if you do the maths, if all goes to plan, indias on track to vaccinate more than 300,000 people every day. As the day drew to a close, the government said it had only reached two thirds of that target. Known as the pharmacy of the world, indias the Global Leader in vaccine manufacturing. The Oxford Astrazeneca covishield jab, produced in the city of poona, is one of two being rolled out. The second, covaxin, developed by an Indian Company is yet to pass its phase three trials. Officials say it is safe, but some doctors we spoke to in delhi say they wont take it until they know how effective it is. Junior doctors at a delhi hospital told me they wont be taking it yet. The phase three efficacy data is not out yet for covaxin, which is being administered here. As doctors, we believe in science. So at this moment, we will not be going for covaxin we dont want to be the guinea pigs. Persuading people to take the vaccine is just one challenge in a hard hit nation. They are burning a coronavirus effigy to celebrate the start of the vaccine drive. It has been a dark year for this vibrant nation. Dr hans kluge is the europe regional director for the world health organisation. He says 95 of all vaccine doses are being administered injust 10 countries,
but he remains optimistic that will change. I think there is a Global Awareness that the basis for regional and Global Health security is really this kind of feeling that nobody is safe until everyone is. If you are a country and your people are vaccinated back to your neighbouring country is not that is an issue. The key issue is that the priority should go to Health Care Workers and elderly people. There is a strong awareness to help european neighbours but it is an issue of timing. That may increase geopolitical tensions for the time being. 0xfam is part of the Peoples Vaccine Alliance which is campaigning for covid 19 vaccinations to be freely available at the point of use worldwide. With me is 0xfams health politicy manager, anna marriott. Welcome, thank you very much for joining us. If we carry on as we are, how long do you think it will be before everyone in the world gets a Covid Vaccine . T be before everyone in the world gets a Covid Vaccine . A Covid Vaccine . I think that is a very difficult a Covid Vaccine . I think that is a very difficult question a Covid Vaccine . I think that is a very difficult question to a Covid Vaccine . I think that is a very difficult question to answerj very difficult question to answer accurately, as things stand. We are incredibly concerned about vaccine inequality we are seeing today. Our Research Suggests that rich countries now have on average more than three times the vaccines they need to vaccinate their entire populations while nine out of ten people in the poorest countries are set to miss out on a vaccine this year, and on that our greatest challenges supply. Not enough are being made, and we can only fix that supply problem if pharmaceutical corporations share their vaccine science and know how openly so that we can get more manufacturers across the globe making these safe and
effective vaccines and in effect flooding the world with them so if anyone who needs them can access them as quickly as possible. Iiioig� n� them as quickly as possible. How could cooperation them as quickly as possible. How could cooperation be improved to reach the point you are talking about . 50 reach the point you are talking about . ~. ,. , about . So the World Health Organization about . So the World Health Organization last about . So the World Health Organization last year about . So the World Health Organization last year set. About . So the world health | organization last year set up about . So the World Health Organization last year set up what 0rganization last year set up what they are calling the Covid Technology access pool. It is currently supported by about 40 countries. This is the mechanism where that vaccine science and know how can be shared, and those manufacturers brought in to scale up the production, but at the moment, many rich countries are refusing to support that mechanism. What they are doing is standing on the side of pharmaceutical companies, protecting their monopolies and intellectual property. What we need those rich governments to do is to step over, step away from business as usual,
and share that vaccine science, which lets remember has been a large part financed by taxpayers money, billions of public money has been invested in the research and development of these vaccines. It is only right it becomes a Global Public good that is freely available for everybody. That public good that is freely available for everybody for everybody. That requires olitical for everybody. That requires political will. For everybody. That requires political will. How for everybody. That requires political will. How do for everybody. That requires political will. How do governments compel Big Pharmaceutical Companies to do as you say . To do as you say . Governments have the ability to to do as you say . Governments have the ability to do to do as you say . Governments have the ability to do that. To do as you say . Governments have the ability to do that. There to do as you say . Governments have the ability to do that. There is to do as you say . Governments have the ability to do that. There is a the ability to do that. There is a proposal at the moment put forward by the south african government and the Indian Government to the World Trade Organization to waive the intellectual Property Rights of pharmaceutical corporations during this pandemic until we have reached that critical global herd immunity that critical global herd immunity that we so vitally needed, but at the moment those rich governments are not supporting that waiver. We need them to change now. It is untenable to continue in this way
with this extreme vaccine inequality which is not only putting peoples lives and livelihoods in the poorest countries on the planet at risk, it is also putting the Public Health and Economic Security of People Living in the uk, living in the us, because we will not be safe until everybody has access to this vaccine. �. ,. , � vaccine. And given that we dont believe covid19 vaccine. And given that we dont believe covid19 is vaccine. And given that we dont believe covid19 is going vaccine. And given that we dont believe covid19 is going away i believe covid 19 is going away anytime soon and there are new variants are emerging, notjust talking about people alive now but people yet to be born who are potentially going to need unlock elation. Potentially going to need unlock elation. , potentially going to need unlock elation. ,. ,. , elation. And inoculation. That need is going elation. And inoculation. That need is going to elation. And inoculation. That need is going to increase, elation. And inoculation. That need is going to increase, and i elation. And inoculation. That| need is going to increase, and we elation. And inoculation. That need is going to increase, and we do not know yet whether we are going to require regular vaccination for covid 19, just as we do for the seasonal flu, covid 19, just as we do for the seasonalflu, but if covid 19, just as we do for the seasonal flu, but if that is required, then the supply needs are going up significantly, so we need
action now to share that vaccine science and know how so that we can get that supply up in the manufacturing capacity in place ready for that future need and the urgent need right now to get the vaccine in all parts of the world. Thank you very much. An extra £120 million of funding will be available to local councils to boost social Care Staffing levels. The department of health and social care said the new funds would help increase workforce capacity for care homes and domiciliary care providers hit by staff absences during the coronavirus pandemic. We can discuss the new funding allocation of funding with the president of the association of directors of adult social services, james bullion who called for a cash injection earlier this week. James, thanks very much forjoining us. The call has been answered. How far will this money go . We us. The call has been answered. How far will this money go . Far will this money go . We havent seen the complete far will this money go . We havent seen the complete detail far will this money go . We havent
seen the complete detail of far will this money go . We havent seen the complete detail of this i far will this money go . We haventl seen the complete detail of this but as you say we have been calling for this for a while. 0utbreaks are growing fast and staff sickness as a result of both covid and people isolating and people screaming has reached the critical point. Something like 25 on average staff sickness and in some care institutions we have seen examples of up to 80 of staff not available to do the work, so inevitably 120 million spread across 152 councils wont go as far as we need it to go. There is a short term problem but underlying this pandemic we have got 100,000 vacancies and social care is an ongoing feature of our workforce. So what extent then has the pandemic really exposed the fractures and social care that we have been talking about for years . There are many aspects talking about for years . There are many aspects of talking about for years . There are many aspects of this talking about for years . There are many aspects of this pandemic. Talking about for years . There are l many aspects of this pandemic that we couldnt have known about, so asymptomatic staff transmission, we didnt know about that until the
pandemic came along, but we went into this as a stressed sector. We had on average 40 turnover of our staff, pay is pegged at minimum wage rather than £11 an hour which is what an equivalent nurse assistant might get, and we have this permanent vacancy level of about 10 which means we have shortages before you even start, and then things like sickness as a result of covid hit as. The money is welcome, no doubt about that, but we have a medium and long term issue to address and social care and we need to fix the situation going forwards. Essen social care and we need to fix the situation going forwards. Situation going forwards. Even if ou situation going forwards. Even if you attract situation going forwards. Even if you attract people, situation going forwards. Even if you attract people, how situation going forwards. Even if you attract people, how long situation going forwards. Even if. You attract people, how long does situation going forwards. Even if you attract people, how long does it take to train somebody before they are able to work independently without supervision . Tt are able to work independently without supervision . Are able to work independently without supervision . It does take time to bring without supervision . It does take time to bring people without supervision . It does take time to bring people in, without supervision . It does take time to bring people in, to without supervision . It does take time to bring people in, to check| time to bring people in, to check them and train them and bring them up them and train them and bring them up to speed, but you have to start somewhere. We have those vacancies already so nobody going into social care now will go to waste, and i
would say this is a bit of a call to arms. Comejoin us. From monday we will be out vaccinating social care staff within the next four weeks so everybody will get vaccination. Come join social care. There is a great career here and many parts of our economy are shedding jobs. It is a good time tojoin economy are shedding jobs. It is a good time to join social care, but we need to make sure that we get the right people with the right values. These are people who work and are paid to do this work. What about Family Carers . Those who are at home caring for their own relatives. Absolutely, and in our National Conference last november we called for two things. We said, we need an injection of money to pay social care staff better but we also need to protect Family Carers. We are asking them to do more and more. We are asking them to take people discharge from hospital and to step up discharge from hospital and to step up and care and we are asking them now for nearly a year to protect
their families, now for nearly a year to protect theirfamilies, so we now for nearly a year to protect their families, so we call for Family Carers to get paid an extra 50 quid a week for the 20 weeks of winter and that will really help to sustain their position, and we are really worried about the stress and strain that Family Carers are under. Many of them are older people, many are caring for 40 or 50 or 60 hours are caring for 40 or 50 or 60 hours a week. ,. , are caring for 40 or 50 or 60 hours a week. , i. Are caring for 40 or 50 or 60 hours a week. , ~ ,. The uk government has said it welcomes the relatively calm passing of the elections in uganda. But it also remains concerned by the National Internet shutdown, which it says clearly limited the elections transparency. Ugandas long time leader yoweri museveni, whos held the post since 1986, has been declared the winner of the president ial election. The countrys Electoral Commission has dismissed allegations of vote rigging, made by opposition candidate bobi wine, a former pop star. Dozens of people were killed during violence in the run up to the election. The us president elect, joe biden, has set out details of his plan to immunise 100 million americans in his first 100 days in office. He said mass Vaccination Centres would be opened, with people over 65 considered a priority. The United States has recorded far more coronavirus deaths than anywhere else. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes sent this report. In a city where officials believe one in three of its population has been infected with covid 19 since the start of the pandemic, there is a sense of urgency. Hospitals in los angeles are overwhelmed. Here, someone is dying of the virus every eight minutes. It is rough to see people who are really sick and we have to tell them theres not much we can do. We can take you to the hospital, but to sit on these gurneys, its not comfy. The race is on to get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible. This is the car park at dodger stadium, the baseball venue in los angeles that has been
transformed into the largest vaccination site in america. By the middle of next week, Officials Say at least 12,000 people a day will receive the covid jab here. But it is not enough. Weve got to increase the pace and distribution and the administration of these vaccines. The reality is we need to get these vaccines out of the freezer and get them into peoples arms. This is a scene that is playing out around the country, around the world. But americas so called 0peration warp speed has failed to live up to its name, at least as far as distribution of the vaccine is concerned. Joe biden says, when he takes over from donald trump on wednesday, hell launch an ambitious plan to roll it out fast. He said efforts so far had been a dismalfailure. Our plan is as clear as it is bold get more people vaccinated for free, create more places for them to get vaccinated, mobilise more medical teams to get the shots into peoples arms. He is promising 100 millionjabs in 100 days, 100 mass vaccination