BBC News

Newspaper headlines: UK 'plans October booster jab' and pub passport 'fury'

By BBC News
Staff

Published
image captionThe UK is planning to offer a booster jab in October to protect against newer strains of Covid, reports the i newspaper. It also says drive-through centres will be created for under-50s next month to improve uptake among younger people.
image captionThe Guardian claims some government insiders believe making Covid certificates compulsory for entry into pubs could help tackle vaccine hesitancy among young people. The paper says one senior source predicted a "stark" fall in uptake when the jab is offered to lower age groups.
image captionPlans for people to demonstrate they are "free of Covid" with a mobile phone app has sparked "fury", according to the Daily Mail. It says the software would provide a virtual coronavirus certificate and allow people to go to pubs with no social distancing. However, the paper adds that hospitality bosses have branded the idea "unworkable".
image captionFrench President Emmanuel Macron saying that the European Union is to blame for "botching" its own vaccine rollout is the lead in the Metro, which describes it as a "startling confession". The paper adds that he praised America's ambition but "could not bring himself to praise the UK's own successful vaccine gamble".
image captionThe UK's vaccination programme will be completed in time - despite the EU paving the way to block jabs, the Daily Express suggests. It says Downing Street has confirmed the country is still on track to vaccinate all adults by the end of July.
image captionIndia has dealt a blow to the global rollout of Covid vaccines after it banned exports to prioritise its own vaccinations, reports the Financial Times. The paper claims the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world - the Serum Institute of India - has been told to halt exports for two to three months.
image caption"Tell us why they died", is the headline in the Daily Mirror, which says grieving families have joined calls for Boris Johnson to set a date for an inquiry into the "mishandling" of the Covid crisis. The paper claims the prime minister is "stalling" on giving a date.
image captionThe Daily Telegraph focuses on the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson condemning the "threats" that a teacher faced after being suspended for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. The paper quotes Mr Williamson as saying the protests outside a West Yorkshire school were "completely unacceptable", adding that teachers were allowed to expose pupils to "challenging or controversial" issues.
image captionThe same story also makes the front of the Times, which says the school has apologised over the "inappropriate" image shown during a religious studies class this week. It reports that crowds gathered outside Batley Grammar School to complain about the image, which parents said had been taken from the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
image caption"We're gonna need a bigger digger" declares the Daily Star, which says the world held its breath "as a bloke in a digger" tried to move a vessel stuck in the Suez Canal. "We wish him the very best of luck... he's going to need it", the paper adds.

The Times and The Daily Telegraph both carry pictures of Muslim protesters outside a school in West Yorkshire, where pupils were shown a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Times highlights the comments it attributes to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson condemning the intimidation of teaching staff as "completely unacceptable".

It says there is video of people gathered at the school gates shouting "get the head teacher".

The Telegraph says that the images of the prophet were shown during a lesson on Monday, and the head teacher had tried to defuse the situation by apologising and sending a letter to parents. It adds that the teacher concerned has gone into hiding.

image captionDozens of people gathered outside Batley Grammar School on Thursday morning

Plans for a Covid "pub passport" continue to make headlines. The Daily Mail says there are plans for a mobile phone app that can provide proof of vaccinations or negative tests, and that venues taking part could drop social-distancing rules.

The paper says the app is part of the review being carried out by Michael Gove and could also be used for other events like weddings and football matches.

It reports that hospitality bosses have called the idea "unworkable" and "costly".

The Guardian suggests making Covid certificates compulsory for entry into pubs is part of a strategy to encourage young people to get their vaccinations.

It says there are fears within government that those in lower age groups are less likely to take up their jabs - and experience in Israel has shown more apathy from under-35s who think they will be fine, even if they catch the virus.

image copyrightEPA
image captionDrive-through vaccination centres could open in the UK

There are plans to give out booster vaccines in October to people who've already had their jabs, according to the i newspaper.

It claims to have seen NHS documents which says the move is designed to protect people from newer variants of coronavirus.

The paper also says drive-through vaccine centres will be created next month for under-50s, to keep the roll-out on track.

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The Financial Times says India has dealt a blow to the global Covid fight by blocking vaccine exports to prioritise its own immunisation programme.

The FT reports that the Serum Institute of India has been told to halt shipments for two to three months, which is likely to delay five million doses to the UK.

The Daily Mirror leads with a campaign by "grieving families" for an inquiry into the government handling of the pandemic.

It says more than 200,000 people have signed a petition calling for Boris Johnson to set a date for a hearing. Photographs of five people appear on its front page with the headline "tell us why they died".

image copyrightSuez Canal Authority
image captionWork continues on freeing the Ever Given mega-container ship.

And the Daily Star has a striking image of a single mechanical excavator working to free a huge container ship that's blocking the Suez Canal.

The paper's tongue-in-cheek headline is "we're gonna need a bigger digger".