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Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning - and a Happy New Year too as we welcome in 2021. We'll have another update for you on Saturday.
1. 12-week vaccine gap defended by medical chiefs
There's been a bit of reaction this week to the UK's new vaccination plan which will change how the doses are given out. The original plan was to give people the second dose of the Pfizer jab 21 days after the first, but the gap between doses for both vaccines has now been extended to 12 weeks. It means more people will get the first jab sooner, but many patients who had been booked in for their second dose have seen their appointments cancelled. The UK's chief medical officers have defended the Covid vaccination plan after criticism from doctors, saying that getting more people vaccinated with the first jab "is much more preferable". More about how the vaccine is being rolled out here.
2. UK sees in the new year without the traditional parties
After warnings from the police and government to spend New Year's Eve indoors, millions of people stayed at home rather than celebrate with the usual parties and gatherings. Although some crowds turned out in London and Edinburgh, the majority of the streets were quiet. In the skies above London, a fireworks and light display paid tribute to NHS staff and was aired on the BBC. Elsewhere around the world, some celebrations had crowds while others didn't. Check out our picture gallery or watch our global round-up:
3. 'Worst year for High Street job losses in 25 years'
According to retail analysts, last year was the worst for the High Street in more than 25 years as the pandemic accelerated the shift towards online shopping. Nearly 180,000 retail jobs were lost in the UK in 2020, up by almost a quarter on the previous year, the Centre for Retail Research said. And it's warned there will be more pain for the sector in 2021 as retailers face a cash flow crisis and rent payments, predicting up to 200,000 more retail jobs will be at risk.
4. A record 55,892 daily cases reported in UK
Another grim record was broken on Thursday, as the UK reported another 55,892 daily cases of coronavirus - the highest daily figure so far. A further 964 people died within 28 days of a positive test, only slightly down on the 981 on Wednesday. Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said Christmas week had seen a worrying rise in cases - particularly among adults in their 20s and 30s. Read more here.
5. Couple rearrange wedding in hours before tier 4 move
Joe Robertshaw and fiancee Rhiannon, from Burton-upon-Trent, had been due to tie the knot on New Year's Eve. But when it was announced that Staffordshire was one of the areas moving into tier four from 00:01 on Thursday, the couple had a choice: postpone, or bring forward their ceremony by a day. They chose the latter, frantically phoning their vicar, the photographer and the guests to see if everyone could rearrange. The bride, the new Mrs Robertshaw, was at work on Wednesday at an opticians, but was allowed to leave early for the ceremony. Read the full story here.
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And don't forget...
Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page .
The last few months have been awful for so many people but the country's leading mental health experts say there are things that many of us can do to give ourselves a lift. Here are some of their tips.
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