A0 days after the election. And the congressman from texas who is starring in his own actionman movie to save the two senate seats in georgia as if there is nothing else to be doing right now. Hello, im katty kay in washington. Christian fraser is in london. It is a good day here in the United States because americans are receiving their first shots of the Pfizer Vaccine. But we would be remiss in not pointing out that on the very same day, the covid death toll here has reached 300,000. It is a sobering reminder of the hill we still have to climb to get out of this pandemic. Here in the uk, where the Pfizer Vaccine was rolled out last week, the roller coaster journey continues. London is returning to tier 3, with much tighter restrictions, less than two weeks before christmas. There is also news from the Health Secretary that they have discovered a new strain of coronavirus, which may be associated with the much faster spread in the south east of england. Heres matt hancock and englands chief medical officer, professor chris whitty. Initial analysis suggests that this variant is growing faster than the existing variants. Weve currently identified over 1,000 cases with this variant, predominantly in the south of england. The new variants that emerge, and new ones will emerge the whole time, are more likely to be ones which actually are able, partially, to escape from a vaccine, but theres no reason to think that would be happening at the moment. But thats being tested at the moment in porton down and other specialist centres. Were joined by peter 0penshaw, an immunologist and a professor of experiemental medicine at Imperial College london. Good to have you with us, professor. Of course viruses mutate all the time, the key question here, whether the behaviour of the virus is changed to. It looks like this is slightly more transmissible, and of course when a virus moves into the human population for the first time, it will not be perfectly matched and it will not be perfectly matched and it will not be perfectly matched and it will undergo evolution. We know that, but this is the first time we have been really been able to use modern scientific techniques to watch that evolution real time, so it is no surprise but it is very important that we have been able to pick this up, and i think it shows the surveillance were doing in the uk is very successful in managing to pick upa uk is very successful in managing to pick up a lot of new viral sequence and demonstrate that this is a significant change in the virus. With debbie and any reason to think the vaccines we have right now would not be up to tackle the variant with there be any reason . Not at the moment for some vaccines express the whole of the spike protein, and there are many different antibodies that bind to different parts of it, so that bind to different parts of it, so the vaccine is going to induce a whole collection of antibodies. It should be this change could affect only one or two of those, ticket is unlikely but think it is unlikely that. The vaccine is onlyjust been introduced, so it is too early to think this is an evolutionary jump to think this is an evolutionary jump which has been driven by immunity, there is not enough people that are immune anyway. It is more likely this is in evolutionary change which is developed because of transmissibility, which something which is going to drive the virus straightaway. I cannot believe it is good news that we have a new strand that seems to be spreading easily and more quickly than the original strand. Is it . No, maybe that was the wrong way to put it. It is not good news this has happened. I do not think. It is terribly bad news. The diggers i was referring to is out the diggers i was referring to is our surveillance methods have picked this up and we have a lot of sequence this up and we have a lot of sequence affirmation about the new strain of the verse and we can very rapidly now take it into the lap and start to characterise it and work outjust start to characterise it and work out just how it start to characterise it and work outjust how it behaves. The point i would try to make is that the thing that has been so worrying about covid is how easily it spreads from one person to another, which is why you have so many cases around the world, and now if we have a strand that spreads even quicker, presumably that gives Public Health officials like yourself and even greater challenge in terms of persuading people they really do have to socially distance, wear masks and all that kind of thing to do more to stop the spread of the disease. Yes, the equipment watching the rising cases, particular in london in the southeast, for quite a numberof weeks london in the southeast, for quite a number of weeks now and this does not start to look good we have in watching. We have not known why we have seen this sharp rise, the decline is turned around, and weve all been considering that, really, we need to take some more measures than anything at the moment that enables transmission, a bad thing, andl enables transmission, a bad thing, and i and many others will be decided at this we have to keep all this measures in place, we have to reduce everything, do every thing we can to reduce transmission. This does not look like it is going to be a normal, happy christmas that is with social gatherings. 0k, professor 0penshaw, thank you very much forjoining us. With that in mind,. With that in mind. Spare a thought, then, for the capitals pubs, clubs, hotels, theatres that opened just two weeks ago for their busiest period, which they hoped would be some consolation for all the pain they have endured this year. But no sooner had they opened than they must close again, putting a further 150,000 hospitality sector jobs in london at risk. The government has announced that from wednesday, london will be placed in tier 3, joining the 3a Million People in england soon to be living under the tightest level of restrictions. Its in response to the rapid spread of the virus in the london boroughs of havering, enfield and southwark, infection rates have grown by over 60 in the space of a week. Lets speak now to the conservative mayoral candidate for london, shaun bailey. Good to have you with us. During previous reviews, the treasury and conservative mps pushed back against moving millions of people into these tighter restrictions, but this time, they seem to be convinced by the evidence they have seen. What people are staying in london is, like everybody else, we want to get on top and break the cycle of spreading of the disease, but there is other things to take into account where is the disease happening, can we keep our businesses going and can we do in area based approach . Of course, as do in area based approach . Of course , as you do in area based approach . Of course, as you have said, this is a massive blow to london. Potentially millions ofjobs at risk in the hospitality sector. I notice france is paying 20 of the revenues businesses would take over the Christmas Period in compensation, germany 50 , and our government is only paying 2000 £3000. Is that enough or should they be doing more more . More . You could always argue business could have more subsidy for the best subsidy is for business to be able to run, to have those revenues, and Business Owners in london i have been speaking to were really hoping to run and get that christmas revenue in. And when you compare our systems to france and germany, you have to take into account who is given furlough, what people are given furlough for. |j account who is given furlough, what people are given furlough for. I do not know if you had a chance to hear professor 0penshaw, but he clearly feels that the capital does have to shut down, that it has no choice because the rising cases has been so dramatic and because christmas is a time when people might get together. Is this, then, as christian is suggesting, a question of government financing rather than you have to ta ke financing rather than you have to take the measures to take the spread of the virus . I think from an financing and measures to stop the virus are two separate things. Everybody wants to stop the virUs Government financing and. I expect my area has to go into tier 3, but other areas, there are businesses at risk, implement into the future, so i think we could take an area based approach and we would have them to keep some businesses safe. How would that work in practice . If the pubs are open in westminster but not where you are, would people not go from where you are to westminster if they want to go to a pub . That is pa rt they want to go to a pub . That is part of the trouble, travel between areas. Not in london. London has been good at following the rules, councils have been good at mitigating the ways people need to behave for this to work. Business in london has spent millions of pounds making the premises covid secure, i think they were expecting some support, to get that back. We all acce pt support, to get that back. We all a cce pt we support, to get that back. We all accept we have to fight the virus, but my timeline is six month from iiow. But my timeline is six month from now. What do we do with the jobs we couldve lost in that time, and what about people who say they want to shut down businesses and all of london . What would they say to this business than . On a parochial issue, some scores in greenwich have closed down because infection in and around the school, they been told tonight by the government to reopen any government had said they will use all the legal powers they have to force them to reopen some schools in greenwich. What do you make of that . Given we are in the last week of term, and lets face it, in primary schools, i notice difficult for parents, but it is one of those sort of down weeks, the week before christmas . Every week is important for childhood developing, but that is why favour lengthening the christians holiday. Christmas holiday. We must get all the young people we can is going push the message they should get tested. That is the important thing. If they can get tested, we can get on top of the outbreak, and you have to give parents and schools time to prepare, so parents and schools time to prepare, so if we give them an extra week added onto christmas, they have all the time to prepare to make your childrens education is damaged as little as possible and parents can make some provision around childcare. Shaun bailey, the good of you to come in the programme. Good of you. I was listening to matt hancock, shoppers coming into london to do their christmas shopping, a bit of a head scratcher, because people do that. In tier 3 restrictions, im guessing it is not good look much different tomorrow or wednesday or thursday. And i was looking at the pictures, and people are not wearing masks, are they . I know theyre outside, but still there are a lot of people not wearing masks. By the way, christian, i hope your kids are not listening, because officially as a parent, no weeks are down weeks as a pa rent in school. It is very important ido in school. It is very important i do understand it, but anyway, he is very pleased he is missing painting week, let me assure you. Right, lets get some of the days other news. The president of the european commission, ursula von der leyen, has said that negotiations with the uk on a Free Trade Agreement are in what she calls the final mile. Hasnt she said that before . She said the outstanding issue remained the terms on which the uk would keep access to the single market. Uk government sources say that talks remain difficult and that significant progress has not been made in recent days. The netherlands has announced a five week lockdown over christmas. Protesters whistled outside the dutch Prime Minister office as he announced on tv that nonessential shops, schools and gyms would close until mid january. The czech cabinet has also decided to tighten restrictions, closing pubs and restaurants again from friday, barely ten days after they re opened. France has moved out of lockdown today in the second step of a three Stage Programme set out last month. However, because the number of cases has not fallen as quickly as hoped, therell be a nightly curfew across the country. Virtual vigils and services are being held in newtown, connecticut, to mark the eighth anniversary of the sandy hook shooting. 20 first graders and six teachers were killed in one of the deadliest Mass Shootings in United States history. The Baseball Team the Cleveland Indians has announced plans to change its name. The clubs owner said hed been told by native americans that the current title damaged their community, and he wants a name that will bring people together. For those watching on bbc world news, well be right back. The department for education has instructed the borough of greenwich in South East London to withdraw a direction urging all schools in the area to close. The council said it had been acting on information from Public Health england regarding rising Coronavirus Infection rates in the area. 0ur education editor bra nwen jeffreys reports. Arriving for what could be their last day, parents told schools were being advised to move online, leaving them facing a sudden childcare crisis. Its just too short notice to get any sort of childcare arrangements in place, so you would either be taking the day off unpaid, coming up to christmas, which is just not doable. They have to do what they have to do. Its a shame, though, that things have been left till the last minute. This is something that should have been done ages ago. Schools in greenwich are the first to get this advice from the council, but ministers insist schools must stay open. So, you thought the us election was over when American Voters cast their ballots. Sorry, not quite. Remember those 270 Electoral College votes that were needed to secure victory . The ones needed to secure victory we are telling you about that night . Well, today, the electors in that college cast their ballots to formally choose joe biden as president. Normally, its a bureacratic part of the process a formality that no one pays any attention to. But this year, because donald trump still refuses to accept the result of the election, every step of the democratic procedure is under scrutiny. So, who are they, these electors . Jane 0brien went to meet two of them in maine. At 18 years old, Jay Philbrick is one of the youngest members of the Electoral College. He was nominated by the Democratic Party in maine to vote forjoe biden, who won the state overall. Id say, im naturally sort of, uh, sort of a nerd. Naturally. I like math. I like science. Thats what really, really excites me. Imean. But im also someone who really ca res about the people around me. Hes already helping elderly people access Telehealth Services during the pandemic through an organisation that distributes electronic devices. And he believes social change starts with understanding political systems such as the Electoral College. 0k, heres your chance. Explain the Electoral College in under ten seconds. Good question. All right. The Electoral College is how we pick the president. Its once removed from the people, its a state by state approach. Sometimes it doesnt line up, most of the time it does. And its our way, our unique way of picking the president. If you didnt quite get that, dont worry. Youre not alone. I mean, i know it has to do with the states and each state has a number and thats how they end up getting their count. But i dont really know more than that. I know its to do with the voting. And i know its to do with, like, each state. Right . I believe has certain people they get to pick. And i really think its a crock so you dont agree with it . I dont. Do you know who your electors are . No. No, we dont know. Well, Peter Laverdiere is another of maines electors. He and his wife, beverly, are staunch supporters of donald trump. And because maine splits its electoral votes, the Republican Party nominated mr laverdiere to cast his vote for the president. I couldnt have asked for a better gift. And thats what it was, it was a gift. I wasjust pleased as punch that they they considered me equal to the task. Critics say the Electoral College should be abolished, but its already survived some 700 attempts to change it, so will likely be around until at least the next president ial election. Jane 0brien, bbc news, maine. So there you go. If you take nothing else from this programme, you can at least take comfort in the fact that not Many Americans get that whole Electoral College thing. Fortu nately, our friend ron christie does. Hes a republican strategist and former adviser to president george w bush. I have to say that most elections i have covered, except for 2000, i have to say that most elections i have covered, except for2000, im not even sure which the day is the Electoral College votes on, it does not even get a mention. Good evening to you. Yeah, so this is one of those archaic things or democracy here in our Constitutional Republic of the United States that today is the day that all the states, all the electors are supposed to cast their votes in the Electoral College that would then, ironically, be certified ina would then, ironically, be certified in a session presided over by Vice President mike pence onjanuary six, but every thing we see with the selection, with this president , shows that nothing should be taken as routine is routine, and the Trump Campaign and the trump president