Newspaper headlines: A million jabs a day, as PM declares Omicron 'emergency'
By BBC News
Staff
- Published
Boris Johnson's announcement on booster jabs makes the front of several papers, including the Telegraph. The paper says the government's plan to ramp up booster jabs is aimed at avoiding another lockdown. To meet its target to offer a third jab to every adult by January, the NHS would have to offer jabs to 18 million people in 18 days, it says.
The Sun says the booster rollout is going to be "turbo-charged". It describes the prime minister's TV address as sombre, as he warned: "There is a tidal wave of Omicron coming."
The Daily Mail describes it as a "hugely ambitious move" from Mr Johnson. The paper says the NHS's website crashed within minutes of Mr Johnson's statement as people tried to book jabs.
The Times also says the pledge is "unprecedented", as it cites government sources who say it means the NHS needs to carry out about 15 million vaccinations over the next three weeks. Mr Johnson admitted that some NHS appointments and procedures would need to be cancelled, the paper adds. In a separate story, the paper says the cabinet secretary's investigation into Downing Street parties will also cover the Christmas quiz on 15 December.
The Daily Mirror also mentions the Christmas parties, reporting that Labour has called on police to quiz the PM over the events. The paper's focus is on the booster jabs, though, quoting Mr Johnson's warning that the Omicron variant could lead to many deaths.
The Guardian also focuses on the prime minister's promise that it says would mean offering one million jabs a day. The Army will be deployed across the country and doctors will be told to cancel appointments to help with the rollout, the paper says. The announcement comes as Mr Johnson prepares to face a "major test of his authority" this week as some Tory MPs are expected to rebel against the new Covid rules.
The i newspaper also leads with the jabs, reporting that the UK's first hospital cases of Omicron have also been confirmed. Like many other papers, the i also features the nail-biting F1 world title race on its front page.
Boris Johnson described the wave of Covid cases heading for the UK an "Omicron emergency" - and the quote is featured in the headline for the Daily Express. The paper says Mr Johnson called for a "national mission" to get jabs into people's arms.
The Metro newspaper applauds how the booster rollout is already going, saying more than 530,000 booster jabs were given in a single day in the UK on Sunday. It comes on the day the UK's Covid alert level was raised to level four. The paper quotes the government's Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi as saying: "It is now a race between the booster and that protection, and the Omicron variant."
The Daily Star's headline is less positive, suggesting that as well as climate change and the pandemic, the next thing to worry about is "deadly jackals heading our way". The paper says experts are warning they are "one of the biggest threats to British livestock ever known".
The top story for the Financial Times is on Ukraine, which has blamed Germany for blocking the supply of weapons through Nato. In an interview with the paper, Ukraine's defence minister says Germany has vetoed the country's purchase of anti-drone rifles and anti-sniper systems. Allies have been wary of supplying arms to Ukraine in case Russia sees it as a provocation, the FT says. Meanwhile, in a separate story the FT says the government has signed contracts which have the potential to extend the test-and-trace programme to 2025.