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Newspaper headlines: 'Stricter rules' and vaccination 'fightback'

By BBC News
Staff

Published
image captionThe extent to which lockdown rules are being breached - and enforced - continues to dominate the papers. The Daily Telegraph says that ministers are considering tightening restrictions amid concern the guidelines are not being followed strictly enough. Under discussion are rules banning people from different households who are not in a support bubble from exercising together, the paper says, as well as wearing masks in offices. The paper also reports that ministers are considering increasing fines for rule-breakers.
image captionAlso reporting on restrictions, the Guardian says ministers are facing pressure to escalate England's lockdown. The paper says it has seen new modelling that says one in five people across England may have had coronavirus, rising to nearly one in two in some areas. This could mean that the true numbers infected in England could be five times as high as the total number of recorded cases, the paper adds.
image caption"Stop bending the rules" is the headline dominating the front of the i paper, accompanied by an image of shoppers queuing outside a supermarket. Ministers want stores to be inspected to ensure they are Covid compliance, the paper says, and "shock tactics" will be deployed to scare those who are "complacent" into following rules.
image captionThe Times says that supermarkets face being legally required to enforce mask wearing and social distancing, with a government source telling the paper that retail bosses are being informed that rules will get stricter without improved compliance. Meanwhile, the paper adds that Boris Johnson told senior ministers the situation in the NHS was "parlous and perilous".
image caption"Covidiots goad cops" is Metro's headline as the paper reports that police have been given the go-ahead to "get tough" on lockdown breaches. Dorset Police arrested two women they said were in a flash mob filming a protest stunt.
image caption"Jabs for all," the Daily Star says, adopting a celebratory tone after Health Secretary Matt Hancock's announcement that every adult will be offered the vaccine by autumn. "Finally some good news," the paper adds.
image captionThe Daily Mirror leads with the opening of seven vaccination "super-hubs" in England on Monday. "The big jabs fightback starts today" is the headline dominating the front page. Those over the age of 80 are being asked to make vaccination appointments at the centres, which are capable of inoculating four people every minute.
image captionThe Daily Express says the injection sites opening today will "turbocharge jabs". A picture of Joan Collins - the latest high-profile name to receive the vaccine - accompanies the lead story.
image captionHowever, the Daily Mail leads with an investigation which says care home residents have been "betrayed" by the slow rollout of the vaccine. More than half of the 28 care providers the paper spoke to said not a single resident had been vaccinated. Providers told the paper they had been "left in the dark" and said communication had been "haphazard and confusing".
image copyrightBBb
image captionAmazon and Virgin Media have become the latest big firms to join the Sun's "Jabs Army" campaign, with 28,000 people volunteering to help vaccinate the nation, the paper reports.
image captionTurning to events in the US, the Financial Times says Democrats in Congress trying to impeach Donald Trump for a second time are running into resistance in the Senate. Senior politicians on both sides of the aisle have voiced their opposition to the move, the paper adds. House Democrats are planning to hold a vote on impeaching Mr Trump as soon as Tuesday. If the vote passes, he will become the first president in history to be impeached twice.

Several papers warn that ministers are considering tougher coronavirus restrictions in England amid concerns the current lockdown is not being observed as strictly as the first.

According to the Daily Telegraph, new measures could include banning people from different households exercising together, the introduction of face coverings in offices, and increased fines for rule-breakers.

The Times thinks shops will be told to "get tough", with supermarkets facing a legal requirement to enforce mask wearing and social distancing.

The i claims "shock tactics" will be deployed to scare what it describes as a "complacent" public into following the rules.

It says television cameras are to be taken into more hospitals in coming days in an effort to "hammer home" the human cost in the surge in infections.

image copyrightEPA

The Guardian says it has seen new modelling that suggests 20% of people in England may have had coronavirus.

That figure is said to rise to almost 50% in some areas, meaning the true number of infections could be five times higher than officially thought.

The paper also highlights the effect of the pandemic on the criminal justice system warning that defendants, witnesses and victims face a wait of up to four years for cases to reach court.

It says lawyers are calling for more socially distanced, emergency courts to tackle the problem.

Care homes 'betrayed'

Care home residents have been "betrayed" by the slow rollout of the vaccine, according to the Daily Mail.

It has spoken to 28 care providers who together run hundreds of homes and says 17 reported that not a single resident had received the jab.

Eight managers said they had had no details of when to expect the vaccines, and 13 providers revealed they had outbreaks of the virus in their homes.

The Mail says Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised in December that care home residents would be vaccinated by Christmas and says that a month on, Boris Johnson has admitted just one in 10 has so far been protected.

'Jabs fightback'

With the headline, "the big jabs fightback starts today", the Daily Mirror is among a number of papers to feature the opening of seven mass vaccination centres across England this morning.

image copyrightPA Media
image captionRachel Scott receives her Covid-19 vaccine along with other health and social care workers at a mass vaccination centre in Newcastle

The Daily Express says each site is capable of treating four patients a minute meaning "thousands" will be inoculated every day.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the number of centres could expand to 50 under government plans.

There is "finally some good news", says the Daily Star, which highlights Matt Hancock's pledge that every adult in the UK will be offered a vaccine by the autumn.

Impeachment push

The front page of the Financial Times is the only one to not focus on the virus, instead reporting on attempts to hold Donald Trump to account after his supporters stormed the Capitol building last week.

It says an urgent push by Democrats to impeach Mr Trump for a second time is "running into resistance" in the Senate.

Although a growing number of Republicans have criticised the president, none has said they will vote to convict him of wrongdoing.

The FT says moves to impeach Mr Trump will continue this week, but Democrats are likely to postpone a Senate trial until after he leaves the White House.

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