Covid-19: UK border latest, children's role and Biden's jab - BBC News
Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Tuesday morning.
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Tuesday morning.

One possible solution could involve testing lorry drivers before they depart

The World Health Organization says there's no evidence the new variant of coronavirus increases the severity of disease. Scientists, though, are urgently investigating whether it may spread more easily in children. Earlier variants found it harder to infect children than adults and any evidence this new one is different could alter the role they, and crucially schools, play in spreading the virus. On Monday, the prime minister said he wanted to open schools in January "if we possibly can". Here's everything we know about the new variant at this point.

The new variant has plunged much of southern England into a tier four lockdown, and prompted Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to introduce their own tougher measures. On Monday night, the Stormont Executive voted against imposing a travel ban from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. But it backed plans to issue new guidance against all but essential travel between NI, GB and the Irish Republic. The UK's top scientist has warned the new variant is now "everywhere" and more areas may need to enter the highest level of restrictions. A reminder of what tier four and its equivalents outside England mean in practice.

The president-elect received his first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in front of the cameras, saying he wanted to show Americans it is "safe to take". He joins a growing number of senior US politicians to receive the jab. The Biden team has set a goal of 100 million vaccinations during the new administration's first 100 days, and on Sunday, the roll-out began for a second vaccine, created by Moderna. So far in the UK only the Pfizer jab has been approved. We're especially eager to see the version from Oxford University and AstraZeneca get the green light - find out more on that process.

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Four-year-old Eliana created a fairy garden outside her California home at the start of the pandemic, and got a wonderful surprise when a "fairy" started writing back. Neighbour Kelly Kenney was, as she puts it, "going through a pretty rough time" and decided on a whim to write a note pretending to be Sapphire, the fairy who came to live in the garden. Eliana was delighted, and she and "Sapphire" have now been sending letters and gifts back and forth for months. Kelly says it gave her a sense of connection at a very lonely time, and recently, the friends got to meet in person.

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Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

Plus, can pregnant women receive a coronavirus vaccine? Well, it depends. Let us explain.

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