Boris Johnson announcement: what time today will the PM hold a press conference about lockdown and the new vaccine?

The Prime Minister will give an update on current lockdown restrictions in England in a national address
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a Downing Street press conference this evening (9 November), to give an update on England’s second lockdown.

England is now entering its second week of tough new restrictions, which have seen several businesses forced to close, including non-essential shops, gyms and restaurants.

When is Boris Johnson speaking?

The Prime Minister will give an update on current lockdown restrictionsThe Prime Minister will give an update on current lockdown restrictions
The Prime Minister will give an update on current lockdown restrictions
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Mr Johnson will address the nation in a press conference at 5pm today (9 November)

He will be joined by deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam and Brigadier Joe Fossey at Downing Street, No 10 confirmed.

The press conference is expected to focus on the UK’s current Covid testing regime which the Prime Minister has hailed as a route out of the pandemic.

Mr Johnson is aiming to implement mass testing across the UK if trials currently ongoing in Liverpool and Salford prove to be a success.

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Improved testing may also reduce the need for a 14-day quarantine period for international arrivals in the UK, with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps saying the government’s global travel taskforce is making “very good progress” on developing a new regime.

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New Covid walk-through testing centre opened near Leeds city centre

What about the Covid vaccine?

The Prime Minister may also discuss the latest developments with the new Covid vaccine, following a breakthrough from pharmaceutical company Pfzier.

The firm, which is developing the mRNA-based vaccine with BioNTech, has announced its vaccine candidate is more than 90 per cent effective in preventing Covid-19 during a major trial.

Pfzier said the results were from an independent interim analysis of the results of its phase three clinical study.

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Dr Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and CEO, said: “Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our phase three Covid-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent Covid-19.

“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development programme at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen.

“With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis.”

The UK has secured 40 million doses of the vaccine, markin the first agreement the firms signed with any government.

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However, people will need two doses, meaning not enough shots have been secured for the entire UK population. Although it is likely other vaccines will announce results from their clinical trials shortly.

Who will be vaccinated first?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has examined data on who suffers the worst outcomes from coronavirus and who is at highest risk of death. Interim guidance says the order of priority should be:

– Older adults in a care home and care home workers

– All those aged 80 and over and health and social care workers, though they may move up the list

– Anyone 75 and over

– People aged 70 and over

– All those aged 65 and over

– High-risk adults under 65

– Moderate-risk adults under 65

– All those aged 60 and over

– All those 55 and over

– All those aged 50 and over

– The rest of the population, with priority yet to be determined