Newspaper headlines: PM’s ‘second wave’ fears, and airport test calls
The prime minister’s fears of a “second wave” of coronavirus feature on the front of many of the papers. The Daily Mail reports that Boris Johnson is worried it could start within a fortnight, quoting a senior government source as saying the PM was “extremely concerned” by outbreaks “bubbling up” both at home and abroad. The paper claims there has been a 28% increase in UK cases since the start of the month.
A “second wave” of Covid-19 is already under way in Europe, is how the Metro has reported the PM’s remarks. It says Mr Johnson also defended the decision to make holidaymakers returning from Spain have to undergo quarantine, adding that similar action could soon be taken for people flying home from other tourist hotspots.
The same story of a spike of coronavirus in Europe leads the Financial Times, which carries quotes from the head of the public health institute in Germany, Lothar Wieler, saying he was “very concerned” by the rise in infections in Germany. He tells the paper: “We don’t know if it’s the start of a second wave, but of course it could be.”
Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia could be the next countries to have quarantine measures reintroduced by the UK government, the Times reports. The paper says quarantine for arrivals from Luxembourg and Belgium could begin “as soon as” Thursday, while ministers are “keeping a close eye” on Croatia but restrictions are not imminent.
The boss of Heathrow Airport is urging the government to all allow passengers to be tested for Covid-19 on arrival, according to the Daily Telegraph. John Holland-Kaye tells the paper that Heathrow could have a test “up and running” in two weeks’ time – which would allow holidaymakers to be checked for £150 each.
Calls for up to 1.5 million more children in England to get free school meals to help tackle a growing food poverty crisis, is the focus for the Guardian. It comes from a government commissioned report which the paper says is a “blueprint billed as the first national food strategy” since rationing in World War Two.
The latest developments in the hunt for Madeleine McCann make the front of the Daily Express, which reports that “a mammoth team” of police are involved in digging up an allotment in Germany. Madeleine was three when she went missing while on holiday with her family in Portugal in 2007.
The same story is the lead in the Daily Mirror. It says the site being searched is near the prime suspect’s home in Hanover.
And “Maddie cops dig up veg patch” is the headline in the Daily Star, which describes it as a “shock new search”.
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