As it happened: Autumn 'booster' jab likely to be needed - Zahawi

1. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi says the government has no plans for a "vaccine passport", saying it would be "discriminatory"
2. An annual booster jab, in the same way the flu vaccination is organised, is being planned for future years, he says
3. The Scottish Government aims to vaccinate all adults "in the summer", the nation's health secretary Jeane Freeman says
4. On Saturday Scotland gave more than 50,000 people their first vaccines in a single day - the first time it passed that milestone
5. Across the UK more than 12 million people have now had their first jabs - but a further 373 people have died within 28 days of a positive test
6. A vaccine for the South African variant should be ready by the autumn, says Prof Sarah Gilbert, the Oxford vaccine lead researcher
7. Workplace Covid testing is being offered to more companies in England, for staff who cannot work from home during lockdown
8. Tributes are paid in China to Li Wenliang, a doctor who raised the alarm about the country's coronavirus outbreak and died a year ago today

Thanks and goodbye

That’s all from the live page today, thanks for joining us. We’ll be back tomorrow morning to bring you all the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic.

Today’s live page writers were Francesca Gillett, Victoria Lindrea and Katie Wright. The editor was James Clarke.

What has happened today?

As the live page draws to a close, here is a summary of the main news stories today.

• More than 12 million people in the UK have now had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, with the government on track to deliver its promise for 15 million people in the top four priority groups to receive their first dose by 15 February
• Amid concerns about vaccine effectiveness against the South African variant, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the government would bring in an “annual” vaccination, or booster, in order to deal with variants. He ruled out plans to issue so-called "vaccine passports", saying it would be "discriminatory"
• Prof Sarah Gilbert, lead developer behind the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, says she and her team are working on tweaking the jab for the South African variant and it was "very much likely that we can have a new version [of the vaccine] ready to use in the autumn"
• The number of first vaccines given in one day in Scotland has passed 50,000 for the first time and Scottish health secretary Jeanne Freeman aims to have every adult in Scotland vaccinated for Covid "in the summer". New figures released by the Scottish Government show a total of 839,266 people have now had their first jab
• Workplace Covid testing is being made more widely available in England, for staff who cannot work from home during lockdown. Firms with more than 50 employees can now access the rapid-result testing. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has urged businesses and employees to take up the offer.
• Tributes have been paid to the Chinese doctor who raised the alarm about the country's coronavirus outbreak, one year after he died with Covid-19. Thousands paid tribute on social media to Li Wenliang, an eye doctor who first tried to warn medics about the Sars-like virus.

Extra £29m for further education colleges in Wales

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Further education colleges in Wales will receive an extra £29m to help students whose courses have been interrupted by the pandemic to complete their qualifications.

The majority of this - £26.5m - will go towards helping those on vocational courses, while an additional £2.5m is to provide extra mental health support for learners.

The news comes after it was announced some vocational learners will return to college after half-term.

Education minister Kirsty Williams says: "It's important we take action to support this year's students, so they can go on to their next stage of education, training or work as they had planned.

"We are working with colleges to plan a safe, socially distanced return for the vocational students who need it most."

'There's no such thing as a magic wand'

Defence secretary: Covid will be "ongoing challenge" to the world

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says mutations of the virus present an “ongoing challenge” to the world and vaccines must be “constantly developed” to provide protection against different strains that emerge.

"This coronavirus mutates and we have to therefore follow the science," says Wallace, speaking on BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show.

"It's just a good reminder that there is no such thing as a magic wand - this is about managing outbreaks, managing infections and making sure that we constantly develop our vaccines."

Pandemic delays Sutton Hoo replica ship build

Larry Horricks/Netflix

Netflix film The Dig, starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes, is centred on the Sutton Hoo discovery

Volunteers hoping to create a replica of the Anglo-Saxon ship found at Sutton Hoo have had their schedule put back because of the pandemic.

The story of the ship's discovery, in 1939, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, is explored in the hit Netflix film The Dig.

Two oak trees intended for the keel were delivered to the Sutton Hoo Ship's Company in January in the hope the 90ft (27m) replica might be launched next year.

But many of the volunteers involved in the project have had to shield.

Find out what stage the project is at - and when the replica might be completed.

UK vaccinates more than half a million in a day

The UK remains on track to offer first doses of a Covid vaccination to 15 million people by 15 February. Based on the latest figures, an average of 373,214 first doses of vaccine would be needed each day.

Nearly 550,000 first jabs were given out on Saturday - only the second time more than half a million vaccines have been administered in a day.

BBC

BBC

BBC

BBC

In pictures: Carnival masks in Venice despite cancelled festivities

At this time of year people usually gather in Venice to celebrate the city's annual carnival but this year's events have been cancelled to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

That hasn't stopped a number of people gathering at some of Venice's famous landmarks wearing carnival masks and costumes.

Reuters

Revellers usually line narrow alleys and bridges during the Venice Carnival

Reuters

A group gather in the city's famous Piazza San Marco

Reuters

The festival is famous around the world for its elaborate masks and costumes

Wales' first minister 'relieved' as family members get jabs

BBC

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has spoken of his "relief" after both his wife and mother-in-law received Covid vaccinations.

His wife, Clare Drakeford, 66, and her 94-year-old mother, have both shielded during the pandemic because of their health conditions.

This meant Mr Drakeford spent some time living alone in a hut at the bottom of his garden.

He says he is "hugely grateful" both women have received their first doses, adding he is now the only one in his household yet to receive the jab.

"Although they've been incredibly careful and don't do anything that puts them at risk, the fact they've had the vaccine is a relief," he says.

Liverpool match moved to Hungary over Germany travel ban

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The Puskas Arena in Budapest is the new host for the Champions League match

Liverpool's Champions League match against RB Leipzig will now be played in Budapest, Hungary, after the English team were banned from travelling to Germany.

Germany has prohibited most travel from countries hit hard by new variants of Covid-19, including the UK.

Bundesliga club Leipzig were told on Friday that the fixture "did not meet the requirements for an exception".

The first leg of the last-16 tie will take place at Budapest's Puskas Arena on the original date of 16 February.

BreakingUK surpasses 12 million vaccinations

The UK government has announced another 373 people have died with coronavirus, within 28 days of a positive test, taking the total by that measure to 112,465.

However, there tends to be fewer deaths reported on Sundays, due to a reporting lag over the weekend.

There have also been a further 15,845 positive daily cases.

Latest figures show 12,014,288 have now received a first dose of a Covid vaccine across the UK, with 549,078 people getting the jab on Saturday.

Scotland vaccinates more than 50,000 in one day

PA Media

The number of first vaccines given in one day in Scotland has passed 50,000 for the first time.

New figures released by the Scottish Government show a total of 839,266 people have now had their first jab.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that Scotland was "on track to hit all targets" following a record day for vaccinations on Saturday.

Data shows a further 584 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Scotland in the past 24 hours - the lowest number since 19 December.

A further seven people were reported to have died within 28 days of testing positive.

There are currently 108 people in intensive care in hospital - a drop of nine on Saturday's figures.

Beach rave 'astoundingly irresponsible', say police

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Formby Beach is famous for hosting rare wildlife

About 100 people have been branded "astoundingly irresponsible" by police after attending an illegal beach rave at a popular Merseyside destination.

Officers were called after midnight to reports of loud music at Formby - a National Trust site - where they seized DJ equipment and lighting and fined 64 people for breaching Covid rules.

Deputy Chief Constable Serena Kennedy says: "Those who attended the event in Formby last night were astoundingly irresponsible."

It is "as important as ever that our communities in Sefton and across Merseyside stick to the national lockdown rules", she adds.

Managed by the National Trust, the sandy beach and neighbouring woodland is famous for its wildlife, including rare red squirrels and lizards.

Katie Price's son Harvey 'well' after reaction to Covid jab

BBC

British TV star Katie Price says her son Harvey is "safe and well" at home after suffering a reaction to a coronavirus vaccine.

The 18-year-old, who is in a priority group for the clinically vulnerable, had the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab on Friday.

On Saturday it was reported that Harvey - who has Septo-optic dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder affecting his eyesight, as well as autism and Prader-Willi syndrome - was admitted to hospital with a high temperature.

In a video posted on her social media accounts, Price, 42, says she was advised to take him to A&E to be checked over when she couldn't get his temperature to return to normal.

"Everything was fine; they just said it was a reaction from (the) Covid (vaccination) but today he's actually on form," she adds.

The pair recently appeared in a TV documentary charting the difficulties they face as Harvey enters adulthood - including crucial decisions over long-term care.

Keeping the faith in the time of Covid

At times of great uncertainty, many people turn to faith leaders for support, but with the current social restrictions, it's more difficult than ever for ministers to offer pastoral and spiritual care to their congregations.

Photographer Louise Haywood-Schiefer set out to photograph Christian chaplains from churches and institutions around London to discover how they are facing these challenges.

Here's what some of them had to say.

Louise Haywood-Schiefer

"I've found that if you make the time, the people you speak to are more open now and there's more opportunity for that conversation to get deeper and be more meaningful," says Reverend Bola Adamolekun, chaplain at HM Prison Brixton.

"It's been less about just wanting an excuse to get out of the cell, it's almost like they've treated it as a gift and they've decided that if I can engage with them, they will engage with me too."

Louise Haywood-Schiefer

"I'm still walking around and chatting to anybody at any time but our passenger numbers have massively depleted," says Reverend Jonathan Baldwin, head chaplain at Gatwick Airport.

"The wonderful thing is that the staff have got a little more time, they're not so rushed or pressurised and you can pick up more of an in-depth conversation.

"Like with the cleaners - there was one lad who came up to me and said 'can I have a chat?'. I've not met him before but wallop, it all came out."

Louise Haywood-Schiefer

"When you're on an operation in a war zone you face all sorts of restrictions from your movements and daily routines, to not being able to see or even speak to loved ones for weeks on end," explains Padre John Vincent CF, chaplain to the Household Division, The Royal Military Chapel (The Guards' Chapel).

"The way you deal with it is to ask yourself," What can I achieve today?" rather than thinking of how many months more there might be.

"That's been my mental approach to this and I've tried to enjoy and cherish the things I am able to do.

"There will be an end to this at some point - you just have to readjust your sights."

Mountain rescuers thank hikers for sticking to lockdown rules

Lake District SAMRA

There are about 400 volunteers on 12 mountain rescue teams

Mountain rescuers have thanked people for following lockdown rules after a drop in the number of call-outs.

The Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association said there was a "massive and very worrying spike" in the first two weeks of January but figures have since fallen.

The association, which represents 12 rescue teams in the Lake District, said there were 19 call outs in the first fortnight of 2021 compared with seven in the same period in 2020.

But in the three weeks since there have been just seven, compared with 18 in the same time-frame last year.

In a letter to walkers and fell enthusiasts, the association spokesman says: "Your efforts and sacrifices are really appreciated. Please continue to stick to the rules."

The message came on the same weekend one of the volunteers suffered "significant injuries" after falling 150m (500ft) during a mission. The rescuer was flown to hospital on Saturday morning and is in a serious condition, the association said.

There's more on this story here.

Will we travel - and where - in 2021?

Paul Powell

Mr Powell and his son Aaron travelled to India to bring in the 2020 new year

After repeated lockdowns and the opening and closing of travel corridors across Summer 2020, many are dreaming of getting away later this year.

Bookings for UK staycations are "coming in thick and fast", and others are gambling on foreign trips in the hope restrictions will ease as the vaccine rolls out.

Among them is Paul Powell, who has booked to go to Japan and Jordan at the end of the year, and plans to bring in 2022 on a hot air balloon over the Wadi Rum desert, near Aqaba.

He said booking the holidays was "more about hope" and having "something to look forward to".

In Wales, travel is currently limited to essential purposes, and international travel is banned.

Yet Cardiff-based Paula Hansen, who has worked as an independent travel agent for the past year, said she found current customers were willing to spend more on holidays and making more adventurous choices "like going to Everest".

"People want to make the most of their time now," she told BBC Wales.

But others, like Andrew Williams "can't see how getting on a plane can be safe" and hope instead we will see a boost to domestic tourism.

Here's what some readers have planned for travels in 2021.

Covid crisis dominates as Ecuadoreans vote for new president

EPA

Yaku Pérez wants to become Ecuador's first indigenous president

Voters in Ecuador are going to the polls to choose a new president, with the country reeling from the effects of the Covid pandemic.

Many voters say they are more preoccupied with day-to-day survival than with politics, with one survey suggesting nearly 50% remain undecided on who to opt for out of the 16 presidential candidates.

Ecuadoreans say their main concern in the election is how the new leader will tackle the country's crippling health and economic crisis.

Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost, creating a climate of uncertainty that newspaper El Universo said could fuel abstention in the voting.

"The economic crisis generated by the pandemic, unemployment and the fear of potential infections are some of the factors [...] that have provoked disinterest in the election," it reported.

While promising to get a grip on the Covid-19 crisis, the leading candidates have also pledged to work to revitalise the economy and lift Ecuadoreans out of poverty.

Read more here.

Why are some elderly people refusing the vaccine?

NHS

Mohammed Bostan, 95, being vaccinated in December

Covid vaccinations have been administered at pace in Bradford, as in the rest of the UK. But data indicates a high level of refusal among those aged 80 or over in the Pakistani community.

Dr John Wright of Bradford Royal Infirmary, who is writing a diary for the BBC, considers the implications.

"By the end of January 67,000 people had received at least one Covid vaccination in Bradford, including 82.5% of those aged 80 and above.

"However, dig a little deeper and there are some concerning numbers in the data.

"While within the White British and Mixed-race British ethnic groups 87% of people in this age bracket have been vaccinated, only 46% of the 1,800 people aged 80 and over in the Pakistani community have been vaccinated - and 23% have refused the vaccine.

BBC

"These figures are provided by GPs who have been calling people at home, and inviting them to come and get vaccinated.

"Among the 30% of those aged 80 or over in the Pakistani community who have neither been vaccinated nor refused the vaccine, it's likely that some - perhaps many - are undecided.

"We were already aware, thanks to a survey by researchers at Born in Bradford and the Bradford Institute for Health Research, that South Asian and Eastern European communities were more likely to be unsure about the vaccine, or opposed to it, than others.

"Socio-economic status also plays a role, the researchers discovered, with these hesitant or sceptical attitudes more common in less well-off households."

Read more from Dr John.

Analysis: Coronavirus is a moving target

James Gallagher

Health and science correspondent, BBC News

Trial results showing that Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine offers "limited" protection against mild disease from the South Africa variant isn't a complete surprise.

The mutation involved - known as E484K - seems to help the virus dodge immunity built up to previous variants and current vaccines.

Real world trials of two other vaccines (Janssen and Novavax) showed a dip in performance in South Africa too.

This is the same mutation that has also appeared in some cases of the "Kent variant" in the UK.

We are still waiting for scientists to publish their report in order to find out what "limited" means in hard numbers.

If people are still getting sick, even if it's mild, then they can spread the virus and that will make it harder to get on top of cases.

If the Oxford vaccine can prevent severe disease, and AstraZeneca thinks it will, then it would still be a life-saving vaccine.

But it is clear coronavirus is a moving target and that we may need to change vaccines in the future to keep up.

Scottish government aims to vaccinate all adults by summer

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Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says her ambition is to have every adult vaccinated for Covid "in the summer".

The Scottish government had set a September target to vaccinate all over-18s.

Ms Freeman told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show that it was "not sensible" to give specific dates as it depends on supplies remaining unhindered.

"But what is the case, is that our infrastructure to do that is there, and we have the vaccinators, we have the support staff, we have the local and the regional centres able to do it," she said.

"Our ambition is to get through all those 4.5 million adults, 18 and over, in the summer."

The Scottish government said on Saturday that its vaccination programme was "exceeding expectations" after figures revealed 93% of over-80s had received a vaccination by its target date.