BBC News

Newspaper headlines: 'Jabs blitz' as infections 'surge'

By BBC News
Staff

Published
image captionMany of Saturday's papers lead on Office for National Statistics data that says the number of people infected with coronavirus in the UK has risen by as much as two-thirds. The i reports that the full lifting of restrictions in England, currently set for 21 June, "is likely to be delayed by a few weeks" because of concerns about variants and pressure on the NHS.
image captionThe Sun reports that the prime minister has been urged to go ahead with the planned easing of restrictions "for the sake of our boozers and footie aces". Ahead of the European Championships, George Cohen - who was part of England's World Cup-winning side in 1966 - tells the paper: "Our boys need those fans in pubs and stadiums."
image captionThe Daily Telegraph reports that over-25s will be offered first doses of Covid vaccines next week, while over-40s are expected to receive their second dose within eight weeks, rather than 12. That's amid concern the Delta variant first discovered in India "could evade the vaccine, especially after one dose".
image captionThe Daily Mirror goes further, reporting that children "could be given Covid jabs within weeks" after the UK regulator approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged 12-15. It pictures a child getting a vaccine in the US.
image captionThere are calls for pupils to be vaccinated "as a matter of priority", says the Guardian. Teaching unions and school leaders says vaccinating teenagers soon "could mean most would have received two doses by the start of the new school year". But some scientists say it could be unethical because children are at low risk of becoming seriously ill.
image captionWhile cases may be rising, the proportion of elderly patients in hospitals is falling, according to analysis by the Times. "Patients tended to be younger and less sick than those admitted during the first of second wave," it says - and the number of people needing intensive care has "fallen across all age groups".
image captionThe Daily Express has a more positive spin, claiming that a "jabs blitz" will "beat it". That's based on comments from Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who it says has "insisted our mass inoculation programme has 'broken the link' between infections and the number of people going into hospital".
image captionFinancial Times readers are met with a picture of Chancellor Rishi Sunak elbow-bumping US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The paper reports that the G7 countries are set to agree on a "historic plan" to change the basis of global corporate tax law. It "aims to force the biggest companies to pay more tax in countries where they do business, not only where they are headquartered", the paper says.
image captionThe Daily Star reports that the BBC One is to introduce "continuity announcers with regional accents in a bid to be more diverse and inclusive". It has superimposed a flat cap on broadcaster Sophie Raworth to illustrate this.

The news that the G7 group of leading economies is set to unveil a deal on the taxation of multinational companies is the lead for the Financial Times. It says the US is pushing a "hard bargain" on how soon the UK, France and Italy get rid of their digital services taxes, after a deal is struck. But an immediate end is a "non-starter", it reports, as that would leave the big tech giants paying less than they do now - until Washington has managed to get any agreement through Congress.

The Times says "it's going down to the wire" and that a deal was "in the balance" on Friday evening. It says Chancellor Rishi Sunak, is understood to have told his fellow finance ministers that "opportunities to make truly lasting reforms like this do not come along very often".

image copyrightGetty Images
image captionIn the US, a 13-year-old boy is vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in May

"Covid infections surge" is the front page headline for the Times, which reports infections have increased by 76% in a week. But ministers insist, it says, that there's still no evidence to support a delay to the final stage of unlocking in England on 21 June.

The i reports that England's "roadmap to freedom" faces a major overhaul. It predicts that the full lifting of restrictions will be delayed for a few weeks - with social distancing in hospitality venues, working from home, and the wearing of masks on public transport set to remain.

The Daily Express is not swayed by fears about the Delta variant first discovered in India, saying the UK will beat the recent surge in cases with what it calls a "jabs blitz". The Daily Mirror reports the over-12s could be offered a Pfizer vaccine "within weeks", after the UK's medicines regulator approved the jab for children aged 12 to 15.

And the Daily Telegraph says second jabs are being speeded up, in an effort to lift restrictions. It says the over-40s should now have to wait only eight weeks, rather than 12, between doses - and they all could be fully vaccinated by 5 July.

Sign up for a morning briefing direct to your inbox

The Times reports that Brussels is drawing up plans to impose trade sanctions on Britain, over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol on post-Brexit trade. The paper says European leaders have accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of "taking them for fools", after promises to share customs data and build infrastructure for physical checks on goods failed to materialise. A senior UK government source has told the Times the EU is being "inflexible".

image copyrightGetty Images

The Daily Telegraph reports that almost 1.5 million households last year saw their black bins collected just once every three weeks. It says 20 times more homes are affected than five years earlier, with councils pinning the blame on pressures to increase recycling.

It says some councils, including Falkirk and Conwy, have even moved to monthly collections. Labour, it adds, blames the reduction on 11 years of Tory cuts to local councils. The paper reports that ministers are considering new guidance to ensure minimum fortnightly bin collections, but the Local Government Association has told it that any new requirements must be "fully funded".