Several of Thursday's newspapers carry hope the UK is reaching the peak of the coronavirus epidemic. Quoting Prof Chris Whitty on the number of cases "flattening out", the Times says the news means the UK will soon be able to finalise plans for lifting lockdown measures. The Daily Mail, meanwhile, has a stark account of the impact coronavirus is having on care homes. It describes how six of the 18 residents at Philia Lodge care home in Peterborough have died in just 10 days. Some 85% of carers there have either been sick or had to self-isolate after coming into contact with infected residents.
The Daily Mirror believes Health Secretary Matt Hancock has woken up to the crisis in care homes far too late. It asks why the testing of residents and their support staff was not done earlier - and writes it is impossible to see how the government can meet its promises to achieve this. The Daily Telegraph highlights concerns that hospital patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 will continue to be discharged into care homes. Charities and local authority leaders say the approach is "madness" because many homes do not have the resources to keep vulnerable and elderly residents safe. The Daily Mail welcomes the government's decision to recognise care home staff for their work. But the Mirror is scathing about the idea of awarding staff a badge - dismissing it as "unbelievable".
The newspapers give a mixed reaction to the health secretary's "badge of honour" for carers The Sun suggests an alternative way to recognise the work of NHS staff. It calls for the entire service to be awarded the George Cross for bravery. Their courage in risking their health on every shift must not be forgotten when the disease is defeated, the paper says. "Day after day these men and women make Britain proud." Several papers carry praise for Tom Moore, the Army veteran who has raised well over £10m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden. The Daily Express says the country is "in awe" of the fundraising "hero", while the Daily Star says a knighthood would be an apt way to thank the 99-year-old for his efforts. The Times expresses concern that the government scheme to help small businesses is not coming to the rescue for enough of them, and the money is not getting through fast enough. It calls for the process to be beefed up - and urges the chancellor to follow Switzerland and Germany by guaranteeing 100% of the loans rather than 80% per cent as at present.
Coronavirus news – live: World stands at ‘pivotal juncture’, warns WHO, as UK set to extend lockdown today
The UK government is today expected to extend the country’s lockdown by three more weeks, as the country’s coronavirus death toll continues to rise. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputising for Boris Johnson as he recovers from coronavirus, is set to make the announcement following a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee. Labour has said it will support an extension but has called for an exit strategy to be published.
This comes amid renewed warnings that it is still too soon to start easing global restrictions in the fight against the pandemic. The World Health Organisation has warned countries that are relaxing measures to do so in two-week phases, in order to avoid the emergence of a second wave. WHO has said the world now stands at a “pivotal juncture”.
'I really did not misspeak'
Health minister Nadine Dorries defended her comments that a "full lockdown" would remain in place until a coronavirus vaccine is developed.
"There is more than one lockdown," she tweeted. "Full, or the introduction of a relaxation/easement strategy - eventually (leading) to a full exit."
After being told by Sky News presenter Kay Burley that she "misspoke" and should admit that she was wrong, Ms Dorries added: "I say it as it is. I speak in politics as I do in life. If I need to apologise, I won't hesitate."
"I really did not misspeak," she added.
The UK will have to maintain a “significant level” of social distancing until a coronavirus vaccine has been developed, a scientific adviser to the government has warned, reports political correspondent Ashley Cowburn.
Professor Neil Ferguson, whose modelling of covid-19 has informed Downing Street’s strategy, also insisted that ministers needed to “accelerate” exit decisions from the current lockdown.
The epidemiologist, however, urged the government to implement the same level of organisation across Whitehall as experienced in preparations for Brexit – another “national emergency”.
His remarks come as Dominic Raab – the foreign secretary deputising for Boris Johnson in his absence – prepares to announce a three-week extension to the severe restrictions on British public life this evening.
Don't you DARE ask when the lockdown will end! Matt Hancock loses his cool as he tells radio interviewer that the government won't release exit plan because public can't be TRUSTED with it Ministers are set to extend the coronavirus lockdown for another three weeks at Cobra meeting later today Dominic Raab is deputising for Boris Johnson as he continues recovery from the deadly disease at Chequers Professor Neil Ferguson has warned ministers must 'accelerate action' to get a mass testing regime in place Pressure for exit plan with report given to ministers urging cafes and restaurants be allowed to reopen soon Recently, Burger King, KFC and Pret have announced plans to partially reopen their stores across the county
Matt Hancock today insisted the public cannot be trusted with a coronavirus 'exit strategy' as they might stop obeying lockdown rules. In a bad-tempered interview as the government prepares to extend draconian curbs for another three weeks, the Health Secretary said he recognised that 'everybody wants to know what the future looks like'. But he flatly dismissed calls for the government to flesh out how the restrictions will finally be eased, despite mounting fears that they are wreaking havoc on the economy. Mr Hancock said the 'clarity of messaging' had a 'direct impact on how many people obey' social distancing rules. In bruising clashes with Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4''s Today programme, Mr Hancock angrily told the interviewer to stop interrupting. 'The communications are part of the policy. That is why we will not be distracted in to confusing that messaging. The scientists can say what they like, the commentators can say what they like,' he swiped. The bitter spat came as one of the government's own key experts condemned the response from ministers and warned curbs cannot be eased until mass testing is in place.
Nightingale hospital diverts equipment from London’s struggling intensive care units for just 30 patients
London’s NHS Nightingale hospital is failing to help the capital’s “drowning” intensive care units and has diverted much-needed equipment away from the city’s hospitals, clinicians have told The Independent. The vast new hospital, created in just 10 days at the ExCel conference centre in east London, had just 30 patients on Tuesday, according to one worker, while at hospitals across the city patients were being treated in makeshift units with “dangerous” staffing levels. One senior London nurse with an overview of intensive care across the capital told The Independent: “It hardly has any patients and we are totally over capacity. Staffing levels in some ICUs are unsafe and dangerous. “It seems like we are screaming into a vacuum and no one can hear us. Some hospitals are drowning, we need the help now.” Doctors and nurses from across the city have complained they have been unable to source vital medical equipment such as ventilators, oxygen analysers and protective equipment for staff, with suppliers saying deliveries have been earmarked for the east London site.
The government's extension of lockdown conditions for another three weeks receives varying degrees of support in the press. The Sun's leader column says the decision "seems fair" while it remains unclear how successful the battle against the pandemic is going, but insists it is important to review the measures "every day". However, it argues it is "vital" that Britain endures what it calls "our virtual house arrest" only once. The Daily Mirror agrees that another few weeks of social distancing "is a price worth paying" if it saves lives, but warns the extension will require more sacrifices for many people. "The country has shown remarkable resilience so far", it says, and "if ministers want that to continue they need to say what the exit strategy entails". And the Guardian's leader column says the decision to extend was "correct", before warning: "We need to start getting used to the idea that parts of the economy, some demographic groups and maybe some regions will be subject to different levels of control."
The Daily Mail says ministers are discussing ordering the use of protective equipment in the workplace and on public transport, to allow what the paper calls "a widespread return to normality". A cabinet source is quoted as saying the UK "won't want to be too far behind" other countries such as Germany which are easing their lockdowns "but everyone accepts, including industry, that social distancing will have to continue for many months".
'United the nation'
Photographs of Captain Tom Moore are featured on most front pages and websites, after the 99-year-old completed 100 laps of his garden yesterday morning to raise more than £17m for the NHS. Huffpost UK says the "heart-lifting moment" has seen the war veteran become "a national hero", while the Daily Express highlights his "inspiring" promise that "the sun will shine again" when the pandemic is over. The Sun says Captain Tom has "united the nation during this new war" and, with a reference to his surname, it demands one "Moore" medal for the former army officer. Testing scenario Hopes that Britain can achieve widespread immunity to the virus by the end of the lockdown "were dealt a devastating blow yesterday", according to the Daily Telegraph. It quotes research suggesting only a small proportion of the population may have acquired resistance to the disease. The paper says a former British director of the World Health Organisation will highlight the study when he delivers a highly critical appraisal of how the government has handled the pandemic to a Commons committee today. Professor Anthony Costello will warn the failure to conduct widespread testing has left Britain facing "eight to 10 waves" of coronavirus, the paper reports. In such a scenario, the Telegraph says, "both the death toll and economic consequences would be catastrophic".
The Independent website says Health Secretary Matt Hancock lost his temper on Thursday morning during a series of fractious interviews about the government's response to the pandemic. It says he was "visibly frustrated" during a "heated clash" on ITV, before taking listeners by surprise by "lashing out" on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The Mirror's leader column says the health secretary felt the questions "were beginning to irritate the public". But it argues that action might not have been taken had the media not highlighted how care homes were "hotbeds" for the virus. A free press, the paper concludes, "means asking hard questions of ministers who stand accused of having failed to protect the people they are there to serve". 'Fig leaf' There are reports that home coronavirus swab tests, delivered by Amazon, are being trialled as a way out of the lockdown. The Times understands a pilot involving key workers is beginning this week, with the aim of completing the process within 48 hours. According to the Mail, Mr Hancock is under mounting pressure over the UK's testing regime, after he claimed there had been lower-than-expected demand for checks over the Easter weekend. The paper quotes healthcare and union sources the health secretary's claim could be a "fig leaf" to cover up testing failures. Finally, the Economist considers whether the pandemic will be remembered as a geopolitical turning-point away from America. It says President Trump seems to have no interest in leading the global response to the virus, giving China a chance to enhance its sway. The Economist argues an unconstrained China "is not a comforting prospect" and warns that "the 1920s showed what happens when great powers turn selfish and rush to take advantage of the troubles of others".
A warning from hospital bosses that supplies of some protective clothing could run out this weekend features on a number of Saturday's front pages. The Guardian reports on what it describes as a "significant U-turn" by Public Health England - which has changed its guidance for NHS workers in light of the shortages. The paper says the changes - which include using plastic aprons - leaves doctors and nurses fearing that more of them could fall ill. The Independent website, meanwhile, has seen a leaked email that warns most trusts will run out of the gowns over the next couple of days - and stocks may not be replaced until the middle of June. The Daily Mirror takes a dim view of Health Secretary Matt Hancock's response to questions about protective clothing supplies yesterday - in which he told MPs he wished he could "wave a magic wand" and have "PPE fall from the sky". It is clear, the paper says, he is "rattled" and "floundering" - while doctors and nurses are left "nearly defenceless". 'Squandered' In its editorial, the Mirror says the UK had time to prepare for the outbreak - but there's "mounting evidence" ministers "squandered" that crucial chance to get ahead of the game. A Whitehall source tells the Times that the shortage of gowns is down to the government failing to stockpile enough equipment as part of its planning for a pandemic. The Daily Telegraph leads on the number of suspected deaths from coronavirus in care homes. The paper says 7,500 residents are now feared to have died. Care England tells the paper it came up with the estimate by "taking a sounding" from the three and a half thousand homes it represents. In its editorial, the Telegraph says the elderly in care homes "deserve protection and treatment - and if they're not getting it, we need to know why".
The Daily Mail, the i Weekend, the Sun and the Daily Express all lead on hopes for a vaccine - claiming British scientists could have one ready by September. The Express says Britain is "spearheading the global race" - with a team of researchers at Oxford University thought to be the country's "best hope". The Times points out that if they are successful, the biggest manufacturing plants for the vaccine would be in China and India. The paper quotes a biologist who says Britain has let its vaccine industry "slip away". If the UK wants to make millions of doses of a vaccine, he says, it is "simply not in the game anymore".
Many of Sunday's front pages focus on the UK's possible exit strategy from the coronavirus lockdown. The Sunday Times reports that ministers have drawn up a three-phase plan to lift the restrictions, which could see school's reopen as early as 11 May. Under the proposals, it says pupils would return to classes part-time - depending on their age - to aid social distancing. The Sun on Sunday calls it a "traffic-light master plan", which would see non-essential shops reopen within three weeks as part of a "red phase", before some restaurants are allowed to operate a fortnight later in the "amber phase". Both papers say the over-70s and others deemed vulnerable would be asked to continue living under lockdown conditions for more than a year. The plans will reportedly be presented to Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he returns to work.
There is speculation in many papers about just when that may be. The Mail on Sunday says there is growing concern that Mr Johnson's absence from Downing Street is hampering exit planning. In its editorial, the paper says recent figures suggesting a fall in hospital admissions are a cause for optimism. Yet it laments what it calls "a sense of drift from inside government" with Whitehall leaks suggesting senior ministers are reluctant to take any major decisions on ending the lockdown in the prime minister's absence. The paper urges the government to "offer a vision of a way back to a free and normal life".
But, while there are calls to concentrate minds on the future, there is also a continued focus on the predicament of NHS workers dealing with the virus here and now. The Sunday Mirror says 500 doctors - who responded to a survey by the BMA - have warned that oxygen supplies are are running "worryingly low" at a "huge number" of hospitals. The paper says medics have laid bare "a horrifying lack of key supplies" - with hundreds of doctors saying they're short of sedatives, painkillers and anaesthetics and one nurse admitting she has had to reuse syringes. The Sunday People says thousands of health workers have turned to mental health crisis helplines as they struggle to cope with what it describes as "the horrors of the coronavirus frontline". "Suicidal and afraid to hug their kids," is the paper's front page headline. One charity alone says it is being contacted by 50 health workers a day - amid fears that many staff will be affected by post traumatic stress disorder. The Sunday Telegraph reports on emerging research about precisely who is at greater risk of being admitted to hospital with a severe form of the virus. The paper says a study into British patients suggests being overweight is one of the most important risk factors. The research - which has yet to be peer-reviewed - is based on an analysis of more than 15,000 cases and is said to be the biggest study of its kind. Meanwhile, the Observer reports on concerns that so-called "lockdown shaming" is being used as a weapon in long-running neighbourhood feuds. The paper says police chiefs have complained about a rising number of false allegations being made about people breaking social distancing rules. Senior officers are urging the public to use "common sense" and not to exploit the pandemic to settle old scores.
Comments
Several of Thursday's newspapers carry hope the UK is reaching the peak of the coronavirus epidemic.
Quoting Prof Chris Whitty on the number of cases "flattening out", the Times says the news means the UK will soon be able to finalise plans for lifting lockdown measures.
The Daily Mail, meanwhile, has a stark account of the impact coronavirus is having on care homes.
It describes how six of the 18 residents at Philia Lodge care home in Peterborough have died in just 10 days. Some 85% of carers there have either been sick or had to self-isolate after coming into contact with infected residents.
The Daily Mirror believes Health Secretary Matt Hancock has woken up to the crisis in care homes far too late.
It asks why the testing of residents and their support staff was not done earlier - and writes it is impossible to see how the government can meet its promises to achieve this.
The Daily Telegraph highlights concerns that hospital patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 will continue to be discharged into care homes.
Charities and local authority leaders say the approach is "madness" because many homes do not have the resources to keep vulnerable and elderly residents safe.
The Daily Mail welcomes the government's decision to recognise care home staff for their work.
But the Mirror is scathing about the idea of awarding staff a badge - dismissing it as "unbelievable".
The newspapers give a mixed reaction to the health secretary's "badge of honour" for carers
The Sun suggests an alternative way to recognise the work of NHS staff. It calls for the entire service to be awarded the George Cross for bravery.
Their courage in risking their health on every shift must not be forgotten when the disease is defeated, the paper says.
"Day after day these men and women make Britain proud."
Several papers carry praise for Tom Moore, the Army veteran who has raised well over £10m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden.
The Daily Express says the country is "in awe" of the fundraising "hero", while the Daily Star says a knighthood would be an apt way to thank the 99-year-old for his efforts.
The Times expresses concern that the government scheme to help small businesses is not coming to the rescue for enough of them, and the money is not getting through fast enough.
It calls for the process to be beefed up - and urges the chancellor to follow Switzerland and Germany by guaranteeing 100% of the loans rather than 80% per cent as at present.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52304339
The UK government is today expected to extend the country’s lockdown by three more weeks, as the country’s coronavirus death toll continues to rise.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputising for Boris Johnson as he recovers from coronavirus, is set to make the announcement following a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee. Labour has said it will support an extension but has called for an exit strategy to be published.
This comes amid renewed warnings that it is still too soon to start easing global restrictions in the fight against the pandemic. The World Health Organisation has warned countries that are relaxing measures to do so in two-week phases, in order to avoid the emergence of a second wave. WHO has said the world now stands at a “pivotal juncture”.
'I really did not misspeak'
Health minister Nadine Dorries defended her comments that a "full lockdown" would remain in place until a coronavirus vaccine is developed.
"There is more than one lockdown," she tweeted. "Full, or the introduction of a relaxation/easement strategy - eventually (leading) to a full exit."
After being told by Sky News presenter Kay Burley that she "misspoke" and should admit that she was wrong, Ms Dorries added: "I say it as it is. I speak in politics as I do in life. If I need to apologise, I won't hesitate."
"I really did not misspeak," she added.
The UK will have to maintain a “significant level” of social distancing until a coronavirus vaccine has been developed, a scientific adviser to the government has warned, reports political correspondent Ashley Cowburn.
Professor Neil Ferguson, whose modelling of covid-19 has informed Downing Street’s strategy, also insisted that ministers needed to “accelerate” exit decisions from the current lockdown.
The epidemiologist, however, urged the government to implement the same level of organisation across Whitehall as experienced in preparations for Brexit – another “national emergency”.
His remarks come as Dominic Raab – the foreign secretary deputising for Boris Johnson in his absence – prepares to announce a three-week extension to the severe restrictions on British public life this evening.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-news-live-update-latest-today-cases-deaths-lockdown-covid-19-a9467756.html
Ministers are set to extend the coronavirus lockdown for another three weeks at Cobra meeting later today
Dominic Raab is deputising for Boris Johnson as he continues recovery from the deadly disease at Chequers
Professor Neil Ferguson has warned ministers must 'accelerate action' to get a mass testing regime in place
Pressure for exit plan with report given to ministers urging cafes and restaurants be allowed to reopen soon
Recently, Burger King, KFC and Pret have announced plans to partially reopen their stores across the county
Matt Hancock today insisted the public cannot be trusted with a coronavirus 'exit strategy' as they might stop obeying lockdown rules.
In a bad-tempered interview as the government prepares to extend draconian curbs for another three weeks, the Health Secretary said he recognised that 'everybody wants to know what the future looks like'.
But he flatly dismissed calls for the government to flesh out how the restrictions will finally be eased, despite mounting fears that they are wreaking havoc on the economy.
Mr Hancock said the 'clarity of messaging' had a 'direct impact on how many people obey' social distancing rules.
In bruising clashes with Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4''s Today programme, Mr Hancock angrily told the interviewer to stop interrupting.
'The communications are part of the policy. That is why we will not be distracted in to confusing that messaging. The scientists can say what they like, the commentators can say what they like,' he swiped.
The bitter spat came as one of the government's own key experts condemned the response from ministers and warned curbs cannot be eased until mass testing is in place.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8224475/Coffee-shops-restaurants-estate-agents-reopen.html
What happens next year and the year after when new viruses appear, keep pumping the toxins into our bodies?
London’s NHS Nightingale hospital is failing to help the capital’s “drowning” intensive care units and has diverted much-needed equipment away from the city’s hospitals, clinicians have told The Independent.
The vast new hospital, created in just 10 days at the ExCel conference centre in east London, had just 30 patients on Tuesday, according to one worker, while at hospitals across the city patients were being treated in makeshift units with “dangerous” staffing levels.
One senior London nurse with an overview of intensive care across the capital told The Independent: “It hardly has any patients and we are totally over capacity. Staffing levels in some ICUs are unsafe and dangerous.
“It seems like we are screaming into a vacuum and no one can hear us. Some hospitals are drowning, we need the help now.”
Doctors and nurses from across the city have complained they have been unable to source vital medical equipment such as ventilators, oxygen analysers and protective equipment for staff, with suppliers saying deliveries have been earmarked for the east London site.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/nightingale-hospital-diverts-equipment-london-204023057.html
The government's extension of lockdown conditions for another three weeks receives varying degrees of support in the press.
The Sun's leader column says the decision "seems fair" while it remains unclear how successful the battle against the pandemic is going, but insists it is important to review the measures "every day".
However, it argues it is "vital" that Britain endures what it calls "our virtual house arrest" only once.
The Daily Mirror agrees that another few weeks of social distancing "is a price worth paying" if it saves lives, but warns the extension will require more sacrifices for many people.
"The country has shown remarkable resilience so far", it says, and "if ministers want that to continue they need to say what the exit strategy entails".
And the Guardian's leader column says the decision to extend was "correct", before warning: "We need to start getting used to the idea that parts of the economy, some demographic groups and maybe some regions will be subject to different levels of control."
The Daily Mail says ministers are discussing ordering the use of protective equipment in the workplace and on public transport, to allow what the paper calls "a widespread return to normality".
A cabinet source is quoted as saying the UK "won't want to be too far behind" other countries such as Germany which are easing their lockdowns "but everyone accepts, including industry, that social distancing will have to continue for many months".
'United the nation'
Photographs of Captain Tom Moore are featured on most front pages and websites, after the 99-year-old completed 100 laps of his garden yesterday morning to raise more than £17m for the NHS.
Huffpost UK says the "heart-lifting moment" has seen the war veteran become "a national hero", while the Daily Express highlights his "inspiring" promise that "the sun will shine again" when the pandemic is over.
The Sun says Captain Tom has "united the nation during this new war" and, with a reference to his surname, it demands one "Moore" medal for the former army officer.
Testing scenario
Hopes that Britain can achieve widespread immunity to the virus by the end of the lockdown "were dealt a devastating blow yesterday", according to the Daily Telegraph.
It quotes research suggesting only a small proportion of the population may have acquired resistance to the disease. The paper says a former British director of the World Health Organisation will highlight the study when he delivers a highly critical appraisal of how the government has handled the pandemic to a Commons committee today.
Professor Anthony Costello will warn the failure to conduct widespread testing has left Britain facing "eight to 10 waves" of coronavirus, the paper reports.
In such a scenario, the Telegraph says, "both the death toll and economic consequences would be catastrophic".
The Independent website says Health Secretary Matt Hancock lost his temper on Thursday morning during a series of fractious interviews about the government's response to the pandemic.
It says he was "visibly frustrated" during a "heated clash" on ITV, before taking listeners by surprise by "lashing out" on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
The Mirror's leader column says the health secretary felt the questions "were beginning to irritate the public". But it argues that action might not have been taken had the media not highlighted how care homes were "hotbeds" for the virus.
A free press, the paper concludes, "means asking hard questions of ministers who stand accused of having failed to protect the people they are there to serve".
'Fig leaf'
There are reports that home coronavirus swab tests, delivered by Amazon, are being trialled as a way out of the lockdown.
The Times understands a pilot involving key workers is beginning this week, with the aim of completing the process within 48 hours.
According to the Mail, Mr Hancock is under mounting pressure over the UK's testing regime, after he claimed there had been lower-than-expected demand for checks over the Easter weekend.
The paper quotes healthcare and union sources the health secretary's claim could be a "fig leaf" to cover up testing failures.
Finally, the Economist considers whether the pandemic will be remembered as a geopolitical turning-point away from America.
It says President Trump seems to have no interest in leading the global response to the virus, giving China a chance to enhance its sway.
The Economist argues an unconstrained China "is not a comforting prospect" and warns that "the 1920s showed what happens when great powers turn selfish and rush to take advantage of the troubles of others".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52319301
A warning from hospital bosses that supplies of some protective clothing could run out this weekend features on a number of Saturday's front pages.
The Guardian reports on what it describes as a "significant U-turn" by Public Health England - which has changed its guidance for NHS workers in light of the shortages. The paper says the changes - which include using plastic aprons - leaves doctors and nurses fearing that more of them could fall ill.
The Independent website, meanwhile, has seen a leaked email that warns most trusts will run out of the gowns over the next couple of days - and stocks may not be replaced until the middle of June.
The Daily Mirror takes a dim view of Health Secretary Matt Hancock's response to questions about protective clothing supplies yesterday - in which he told MPs he wished he could "wave a magic wand" and have "PPE fall from the sky". It is clear, the paper says, he is "rattled" and "floundering" - while doctors and nurses are left "nearly defenceless".
'Squandered'
In its editorial, the Mirror says the UK had time to prepare for the outbreak - but there's "mounting evidence" ministers "squandered" that crucial chance to get ahead of the game. A Whitehall source tells the Times that the shortage of gowns is down to the government failing to stockpile enough equipment as part of its planning for a pandemic.
The Daily Telegraph leads on the number of suspected deaths from coronavirus in care homes. The paper says 7,500 residents are now feared to have died. Care England tells the paper it came up with the estimate by "taking a sounding" from the three and a half thousand homes it represents.
In its editorial, the Telegraph says the elderly in care homes "deserve protection and treatment - and if they're not getting it, we need to know why".
The Daily Mail, the i Weekend, the Sun and the Daily Express all lead on hopes for a vaccine - claiming British scientists could have one ready by September.
The Express says Britain is "spearheading the global race" - with a team of researchers at Oxford University thought to be the country's "best hope".
The Times points out that if they are successful, the biggest manufacturing plants for the vaccine would be in China and India. The paper quotes a biologist who says Britain has let its vaccine industry "slip away". If the UK wants to make millions of doses of a vaccine, he says, it is "simply not in the game anymore".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52333682
Many of Sunday's front pages focus on the UK's possible exit strategy from the coronavirus lockdown.
The Sunday Times reports that ministers have drawn up a three-phase plan to lift the restrictions, which could see school's reopen as early as 11 May. Under the proposals, it says pupils would return to classes part-time - depending on their age - to aid social distancing.
The Sun on Sunday calls it a "traffic-light master plan", which would see non-essential shops reopen within three weeks as part of a "red phase", before some restaurants are allowed to operate a fortnight later in the "amber phase".
Both papers say the over-70s and others deemed vulnerable would be asked to continue living under lockdown conditions for more than a year. The plans will reportedly be presented to Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he returns to work.
There is speculation in many papers about just when that may be. The Mail on Sunday says there is growing concern that Mr Johnson's absence from Downing Street is hampering exit planning. In its editorial, the paper says recent figures suggesting a fall in hospital admissions are a cause for optimism.
Yet it laments what it calls "a sense of drift from inside government" with Whitehall leaks suggesting senior ministers are reluctant to take any major decisions on ending the lockdown in the prime minister's absence. The paper urges the government to "offer a vision of a way back to a free and normal life".
But, while there are calls to concentrate minds on the future, there is also a continued focus on the predicament of NHS workers dealing with the virus here and now.
The Sunday Mirror says 500 doctors - who responded to a survey by the BMA - have warned that oxygen supplies are are running "worryingly low" at a "huge number" of hospitals. The paper says medics have laid bare "a horrifying lack of key supplies" - with hundreds of doctors saying they're short of sedatives, painkillers and anaesthetics and one nurse admitting she has had to reuse syringes.
The Sunday People says thousands of health workers have turned to mental health crisis helplines as they struggle to cope with what it describes as "the horrors of the coronavirus frontline". "Suicidal and afraid to hug their kids," is the paper's front page headline. One charity alone says it is being contacted by 50 health workers a day - amid fears that many staff will be affected by post traumatic stress disorder.
The Sunday Telegraph reports on emerging research about precisely who is at greater risk of being admitted to hospital with a severe form of the virus. The paper says a study into British patients suggests being overweight is one of the most important risk factors. The research - which has yet to be peer-reviewed - is based on an analysis of more than 15,000 cases and is said to be the biggest study of its kind.
Meanwhile, the Observer reports on concerns that so-called "lockdown shaming" is being used as a weapon in long-running neighbourhood feuds. The paper says police chiefs have complained about a rising number of false allegations being made about people breaking social distancing rules. Senior officers are urging the public to use "common sense" and not to exploit the pandemic to settle old scores.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52341750