A survey of 1,318 doctors by Everydoctor found medics who have had their first dose of a Covid vaccine, but their appointments for the second dose have been cancelled as the Government's new policy attempts to give as many people as possible some immunisation. Now the two doses are separated by twelve weeks, not three. Dr Julia Patterson, the lead for Everydoctor, said doctors fear that delaying the second dose which they need to obtain full immunity could lead to them becoming ill or infecting colleagues or patients. In the survey, 13% said that they had received one vaccine dose but their second appointment for immunisation had been cancelled. Another 517 (39%) said they had still not been told when they would have their first dose. ‘The Covid-19 crisis is escalating, and we urgently need to protect frontline workers. If healthcare workers are left unprotected, they are at risk themselves, and they may also pass coronavirus on to vulnerable patients’, said Dr Patterson.

There are concerns some schools in lockdown could be inundated with pupils without laptops after a change to the vulnerable pupil list. Pupils are learning remotely in England after schools shut to all but children of key workers and the vulnerable. But those without laptops or space to study are now eligible to attend school, under government guidance. National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Paul Whiteman said demand for key worker and vulnerable places in schools had risen substantially since the last school shutdown. ‘We have concern that the Government has not supplied enough laptops for all the children without them, and so has made lack of internet access a criterion of vulnerability - adding to the numbers still in school.’

England’s church leaders welcomed permission for communal worship under new lockdown. Pray that God will help congregations to take care, and for His shield of protection and wisdom to be around the vulnerable. Cardinal Vincent Nichols said, ‘The regular practice of our faith in God is a well-established source of personal resilience and dedicated service to those in need - vital in these difficult times. I am glad no measures have been introduced to obstruct or curtail this essential source of energy for the common good.’ Pray for God’s blessings to pour over all serving the needs of local communities. Meanwhile in Scotland all places of worship will be banned from hosting physical gatherings throughout January. The only in-person services allowed are weddings, limited to five people, and funerals, where 20 will be allowed. The Bishop of London, who chairs the CofE's Covid recovery group, said the new measures ‘underline the severity of the situation for the country’.

Belfast’s Nightingale hospital will be expanded to increase the number of intensive care beds from 24 to 32. Currently 20 Covid-19 patients are receiving intensive care at the facility and four beds are available. The Nightingale will deal with patient surges due to rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in the coming weeks. There are 126 nurses providing round-the-clock one-to-one nursing cover for all 24 beds. The BBC also revealed plans to increase the number of ward beds from 21 to 36. All six NI main hospitals are operating at full capacity or beyond. There is an expected peak during the last two weeks of January.