The UK is the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which makers say is 95% effective at preventing the disease. Using revolutionary new vaccine technology, the Pfizer/BioNTech jab induces the body to create immunity to the virus without ever being infected.

The first vaccinations took place this morning with healthcare workers, care home residents, and the most elderly citizens receiving the first doses. In total, 400,000 people are expected to be immunised in this first wave of vaccinations.

The start of vaccinations is a major milestone in the fight against COVID-19. Speaking to reporters yesterday, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said today marked the „beginning of the end of the pandemic”, though he stressed that people should continue to follow sanitary rules.

One person who could be set to get an early vaccination is Queen Elizabeth. Though news reports say she won’t be getting any special treatment, at 94, the Queen is well within the first age group in line for vaccination. According to reports by Britain’s Times newspaper, the Queen and husband Prince Philip could even publically announce their vaccination in order to encourage Brits to get immunised and counter anti-vaccine misinformation spreading online.

British and European Union negotiators have resumed talks for a post-Brexit trade deal as both sides agree hopes of an agreement are on a knife-edge.

The two sides both say a deal is close to being finalised, but that a few key sticking-points have kept talks in deadlock for weeks.

Last week saw little progress towards an agreement, prompting an intervention over the weekend by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The two leaders reportedly spoke on the phone for over 90 minutes on Sunday in an attempt to break the deadlock, but in a joint statement released afterward, both leaders agreed that the conditions for a deal were not there.

Negotiations are said to be finished on all but three issues: fisheries, governance, and the so-called „level playing field”.

PM Johnson and President von der Leyen are now set to meet in person this week in a renewed attempt at a breakthrough before the December 31st deadlines.

Poland’s Education Minister, Przemysław Czarnek, has suggested schools could reopen for in-person classes after the winter holidays finish on January 17th.

Speaking to Polish public radio, the minister said the government was considering so-called „hybrid-classes” combining face-to-face lessons and online learning.

Mr. Czarnek added that a final decision would be made depending on case numbers and daily infection rates closer to the time.

Polish schools have spent the majority of this year in remote learning as a result of the pandemic.

This year’s two-week winter holiday is due to start on January 4th nationwide.

The 45th Polish Feature Film Festival is getting underway today. The annual festival usually takes place in Gdynia, but this year’s events will mostly be taking place virtually with films, press conferences, and discussions all going online, though the main awards ceremony is due to be televised as well.

The festival is using a specialised online platform allowing audiences to view films in „virtual cinemas”. The platform will also host other events and multimedia material and is offered in English or Polish. Just like buying a ticket in normal years, participants will have to buy access to the platform with a limited number of places available.

But in an unfortunate plot twist for the film festival, many of this year’s entries won’t be made available for the wider public to enjoy. Due to rights issues, many of the films entered can’t be shown online and, while they will still be entered for the Golden Lion awards, they won’t be viewable on the platform.

Weather

Mostly cloudy going into this afternoon with a chance of some snow showers around the city throughout the afternoon. Air temperatures around freezing at the moment but feeling around -5C, 23F, with wind chill. A brighter day tomorrow with no rain or snow in the forecast.

TH/am