We warned of a testing crisis five months ago, the Daily Mail says. It describes Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s admission on Wednesday that there are not enough tests to meet demand as “embarrassing”. The paper adds that the government will publish its list of people who be prioritised for tests later on Thursday.
The Daily Star’s top story is on serial killer Dennis Nilsen, whose story has been dramatised and is being aired this week. The paper says Nilsen once said his dog knew when he had killed someone, saying: “She could see it was not the real Des.”
The problems with testing continue to dominate several papers. The Daily Telegraph says it has learnt more details about the government’s plan to prioritise tests, after shortages. The paper says even people with symptoms will be refused tests unless they’re on the priority list – which could be limited to hospitals, care homes, certain key workers and schools.
The Guardian focuses on the impact the testing shortage is having on teachers, reporting that up to 25,000 teachers in England may be self-isolating, with many of them unable to get a test. One head of an academy trust said 740 state schools in England were either partially or wholly closed due to coronavirus issues.
The lead story for the Metro is on the death of a 12-day-old baby following a dog attack in Doncaster. The paper pictures the mother and newborn baby Elon, as well as a photo of the Chow Chow crossbreed dog.
The Financial Times says Boris Johnson climbed down over the Internal Market Bill, a controversial piece of Brexit legislation, to head off a Tory rebellion.
The Times reports that coronavirus infection rates amid middle-aged people are now at the same level as people in their 20s. But its top story is on plans by the NHS to record all alcoholic drinks consumed by pregnant women. Charities including the British Pregnancy Advisory Service say it could infringe data privacy rights. But the official NHS advisory body believes it could help identify babies at risk of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
The Daily Star depicts Mr Hancock and Prime Minister Boris Johnson as clowns as it describes the testing system as a “circus”. It reports on comments by health chiefs who have said the backlog in testing has led to NHS workers being forced to miss work. Using a speech bubble from Mr Hancock’s mouth, the paper mocks the government’s latest response, suggesting ministers are blaming the sick for using up all the tests.
The Daily Express’ top story is on Tuesday’s court ruling that saw senior judges dismiss an appeal from two women affected by changes to the state pension age. The women – who are backed by a campaign representing millions of women who were affected when the state pension age was upped from 60 to 66 – have vowed to carry on fighting, the paper says. It calls the ruling a “devastating blow to their fight for compensation”.
