What the papers say – January 6

Concerns as England enters a new lockdown and vaccine developments fill the front pages.

The Guardian, the i and the Daily Mirror all report one in 50 people in England have been infected with Covid-19.

The Sun also carries the “grim” statistic but adds that one in four Britons over
80-years-of-age has been vaccinated against coronavirus.

Metro says one in 30 has the virus in London as the UK recorded 60,000 new cases in a day for the first time.

Senior pharmacy figures have told The Daily Telegraph that the Government “snubbed” offers for high street pharmacies to provide Covid-19 vaccination jabs.

The Daily Express quotes Boris Johnson as being full of “optimism and hope things will be different in spring” as the paper says 1.3 million people have been vaccinated.

The Times strikes a positive tone as it says it has been told “millions more coronavirus jabs will reach vaccination centres within days”.

But The Independent and the Daily Mail carry chief medical officer Chris Whitty’s warning that pandemic restrictions may still be needed next winter.

The UK “faces long haul out of crisis” with ministers cited by the Financial Times as saying England’s new seven-week lockdown could be extended into March.

And the Daily Star reacts to the latest developments by encouraging all “sane people” to “shove your dry January”.