Well hear from the former Prime Minister matteo renzi, whos told me why he forced the current crisis. Politics means make choice. I decided to open that crisis, and now there is a government better than in the past. And which celebrity does he look like . The burnley manager tells us what we are really missing in this pandemic is a game of looky likey. Hello. Im Laura Trevelyan in new york. Christian fraser is in london. There was encouraging news for britains government today. First came a preliminary report that the astrazeneca vaccine does reduce transmission of the virus by two thirds. Until now, there had been no real data on that. And the very same study found that delivering a second dose after 12 weeks, rather than three, made the vaccine more effective. The report hasnt been Peer Reviewed but seems to vindicate the uk governments strategy. The other extraordinary news was that by following that strategy, the uk has now vaccinated 10 Million People. 15 of the population has been given a first coronavirus jab, which means the uk is bang on target to vaccinate all elderly and Vulnerable People by the middle of february. Heres the british Prime Minister, borisjohnson. We have today passed the milestone of 10 million vaccinations in the united kingdom, including almost 90 of those aged 75 and over in england and every eligible person in a care home. And with everyjab and every day, we have more evidence about the effectiveness of these vaccines. New research from Oxford University suggests the protection provided by the first dose of the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine kicks in after three weeks and lasts right the way through to the booster at three months. And Research Also shows that the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine seems likely to reduce transmission to others. The Prime Minister went on to say that while todays news was hugely positive, more data is required before considering any relaxation of the covid restrictions. Nonetheless, the uk government will take great satisfaction in those numbers. Per capita, israel still leads the way in vaccinating its citizens, but the uk and us are now making significant progress. Remember at least 70 of the population in a country has to be vaccinated before we can think about reaching herd immuninty. Herd immunity. In the us, the cases and hospitalisations continue to fall, though the head of the cdc said today the spread of the variants remains a cause for concern. Not Wearing Masks and participating in in person social gatherings have contributed to the variants spread. We must take prevention and intervention seriously. Now is not the time to let our guard down. Meanwhile, the scientists at astrazeneca and Oxford University have begun work on a new version of the jab, which will be trialled in the coming months to tackle the variants. They believe it could be made available by the autumn. Dr paul mckay is a Vaccine Research scientist at Imperial College london. He is working on adapting covid vaccines for new variants. Doctor, good to have you with us. The i start with that . Tell me about your work. The i start with that . Tell me about yourwork. How the i start with that . Tell me about your work. How are you identifying the variance you are trying to adapt these vaccines for . These vaccines for . Sure. These variants are these vaccines for . Sure. These variants are identified these vaccines for . Sure. These variants are identified by these vaccines for . Sure. These l variants are identified by Genome Sequencing and the uks at the Forefront Sequencing and the uks at the forefront of this technology, in the group is able to monitor and note down in the group is able to monitor and note down any mutant that arises, any variant note down any mutant that arises, any variant that is seen. There are other any variant that is seen. There are other countries across the world that are other countries across the world that are doing this, but we have a genomic that are doing this, but we have a Genomic Sequencing Facility that is second Genomic Sequencing Facility that is second to Genomic Sequencing Facility that is second to none. This Genomic Sequencing Facility that is second to none. Second to none. This is probably a very naive. Second to none. This is probably a very naive, ignorant second to none. This is probably a very naive, ignorant question, second to none. This is probably a very naive, ignorant question, but are you slightly behind the curve or can you predict how a virus might mutate . Can you develop a vaccine which might cover a variety of options . Which might cover a variety of o tions . ~ ,. ,. , � , which might cover a variety of otions . ~ ,. ,. , � ,. , options . Well, yeah, thats a very comic It In Options . Well, yeah, thats a very comic it in thing. Options . Well, yeah, thats a very comic it in thing. Viruses options . Well, yeah, thats a very comic it in thing. Viruses will comic it in thing. Viruses will mutate comic it in thing. Viruses will mutate comic it in thing. Viruses will mutate complicated thing. Rna viruses mutate complicated thing. Rna viruses will mutate complicated thing. Rna viruses will mutate all the time, it is whether viruses will mutate all the time, it is whether those things are significant, and we see their significant, and we see their significant if they are in the vaccine significant if they are in the Vaccine Target. The proteins on the inside Vaccine Target. The proteins on the inside of Vaccine Target. The proteins on the inside of the iris, they are not suggesting to us from the Vaccine Point suggesting to us from the Vaccine Point of suggesting to us from the Vaccine Point of view, and once we have identified point of view, and once we have identified the virus has changed, the Vaccine Target has changed, we can know the Vaccine Target has changed, we can know those down and see whether those can know those down and see whether those actuat can know those down and see whether those actual mutations are significant. They would need to be in a place significant. They would need to be in a place that kind of interferes with the in a place that kind of interferes with the immune response, with the antibodies with the immune response, with the antibodies that are generated by the vaccines antibodies that are generated by the vaccines. , ~ antibodies that are generated by the vaccines. , ~. , vaccines. Here in the us, we like to think we have vaccines. Here in the us, we like to think we have the vaccines. Here in the us, we like to think we have the most vaccines. Here in the us, we like to l think we have the most sophisticated Health Care System in the world, but our ability to carry out this kind of mapping and surveillance of the variants is way behind uks . Why do you think that is . You think that is . Gosh, well, i would not you think that is . Gosh, well, i would not want you think that is . Gosh, well, i would not want to you think that is . Gosh, well, i would not want to comment. You think that is . Gosh, well, i would not want to comment on american would not want to comment on American Health systems, but i would imagine American Health systems, but i would imagine that because it is a state by state system, it is not quite state by state system, it is not quite as state by state system, it is not quite as cohesive as the uk nhs and the programmes the uk has which monitor the programmes the uk has which Monitor Samples that come in from the nhs~ Monitor Samples that come in from the nhs. �. ,. , Monitor Samples that come in from the nhs. ~. ,. , the nhs. And we are hearing today that the astrazeneca the nhs. And we are hearing today that the astrazeneca vaccine the nhs. And we are hearing today that the astrazeneca vaccine is that the astrazeneca vaccine is effective in slowing the transmission of the virus. What do you think that the other vaccines out there too would be effective and that this is pretty potentially exciting news . That this is pretty potentially exciting news . Oh, yes, on the transmission exciting news . Oh, yes, on the Transmission Point exciting news . Oh, yes, on the Transmission Point of exciting news . Oh, yes, on the Transmission Point of view, exciting news . Oh, yes, on the Transmission Point of view, it. Exciting news . Oh, yes, on the Transmission Point of view, it is only Transmission Point of view, it is only the Transmission Point of view, it is only the data from the reanalysis of the clinical only the data from the reanalysis of the Clinical Trial data from astrazeneca which is giving us this indication, astrazeneca which is giving us this indication, and the reason we know that, indication, and the reason we know that, from indication, and the reason we know that, from the oxford trial, is that they took that, from the oxford trial, is that they took pcr tests, swab test, each week from they took pcr tests, swab test, each week from a they took pcr tests, swab test, each week from a large number of their volunteers week from a large number of their volunteers and they were able to see that the volunteers and they were able to see that the incidence of a positive pcr test was that the incidence of a positive pcr test was significantly lower in the people test was significantly lower in the people who received the vaccine compared people who received the vaccine compared to the people who did not receive compared to the people who did not receive the compared to the people who did not receive the vaccine, and a figure that they receive the vaccine, and a figure that they put on that was 67 reduction, which is actually quite a bil reduction, which is actually quite a big reduction. This probably means that the big reduction. This probably means that the upper Respiratory Tract of those that the upper Respiratory Tract of those people has less virus contained within it and that is what the inference is, because of that, you would the inference is, because of that, you would have significantly less ability you would have significantly less ability to you would have significantly less ability to transmit the virus. There is ust ability to transmit the virus. There is just one ability to transmit the virus. There isjust one thing ability to transmit the virus. There isjust one thing that ability to transmit the virus. There isjust one thing that puzzled ability to transmit the virus. There isjust one thing that puzzled me | is just one thing that puzzled me about this research, and it is to be Peer Reviewed yet, and that is that it stops transmission within two thirds of people. That means there are another third transmitting it, so what about them . You are another third transmitting it, so what about them . Are another third transmitting it, so what about them . You have to think as transmission so what about them . You have to think as transmission as so what about them . You have to think as transmission as like so what about them . You have to think as transmission as like a so what about them . You have to | think as transmission as like a bell curve, think as transmission as like a bell curve, so think as transmission as like a bell curve, so if think as transmission as like a bell curve, so if you stop the positive pcr tests curve, so if you stop the positive pcr tests in two thirds of people, we are pcr tests in two thirds of people, we are assuming and we have not cut the we are assuming and we have not cut the data we are assuming and we have not cut the data for this, but we are assuming cut the data for this, but we are assuming that if you have lower the viral loadm assuming that if you have lower the viral load. We assume that the other viral load. We assume that the other third. Viral load. We assume that the otherthird, it is viral load. We assume that the other third, it is also lower, the data other third, it is also lower, the data for other third, it is also lower, the data for that will come out, and we are doing data for that will come out, and we are doing the natural experiment now whenever are doing the natural experiment now whenever were getting people vaccines whenever were getting people vaccines in the community, so see, and epidemiologists will be able to affect and epidemiologists will be able to affect track the ability be able to track affect track the ability be able to track. We as to positive. Much lower to track. We as to positive. Much lower level to track. We as to positive. Much lower level of virus in their passages. Lower level of virus in their passages lower level of virus in their assaes,. , �. An. , lower level of virus in their assaes. , �. ,. ,. ,. Passages. Paul mckay, thanks so much for explaining passages. Paul mckay, thanks so much for explaining that passages. Paul mckay, thanks so much for explaining that to passages. Paul mckay, thanks so much for explaining that to us. Republican lawmakers are meeting this hour to discuss whether to strip one congresswoman of her Committee Seats and to demote another. But this isntjust a rap on the knuckles or score settling. Its an Identity Crisis within the Republican Party itself, a tug of war between opposing forces. Yeah, thats right, significantly important, actually, for the Republican Party. Let mejust important, actually, for the Republican Party. Let me just show you the two women we are talking about. On your left, you have Marjorie Taylor greene, a freshman congresswoman whos an ardent fan of donald trump and his claim the election was stolen from him. Before she was elected, she supported the qanon conspiracy theory. And on the right, liz cheney, the third Ranking Member of her party, a staunch conservative, daughter of former Vice President dick cheney, republican royalty who dared to vote for Donald Trumps impeachment. Members of her own party want her demoted. So even if you dont know those two women, know this america is a two party system. Its often a zero sum game. If one party is fighting for its identity, the other has a huge advantage. Thats the idea, anyway. Lets bring in the bbc� s Anthony Zurcher to discuss this. The man at the centre of all this, who has to really decide what the immediate future of the party is going to be, anthony, is the House Minority leader Kevin Mccarthy. It is going to define his legacy and it is going to define his legacy and it is going to define his legacy and it is going to define what the Party Looks Like going forward. Absolutely. I think you have the exact absolutely. I think you have the exact point here, is Kevin Mccarthy find himself in a bit of a bind, and find himself in a bit ofa bind, and is not find himself in a bit of a bind, and is notjust find himself in a bit of a bind, and is notjust a find himself in a bit of a bind, and is notjust a bind about Marjorie Taylor is notjust a bind about Marjorie Taylor greene, it is about the future Taylor Greene, it is about the future of Taylor Greene, it is about the future of the party in the future of trump future of the party in the future of trump is future of the party in the future of trump is him. If your member a few weeks trump is him. If your member a few weeks ago. Trump is him. If your member a few weeks ago, during the impeachment vote, weeks ago, during the impeachment vote, kevin weeks ago, during the impeachment vote, Kevin Mccarthy said donald trump vote, Kevin Mccarthy said donald trump was contributing to the riots at Capitol Trump was contributing to the riots at capitol hill on january six. He backed at capitol hill on january six. He backed away from that, seeming to be pressured backed away from that, seeming to be pressured from Donald Trumps supporters cannot be so openly critical supporters cannot be so openly critical. Now he is in a similar position critical. Now he is in a similar position in critical. Now he is in a similar position in a kind of a proxy fight with Marjorie Taylor<