Newspaper headlines: Virus ‘out of control’ and ‘crackdown planned’

image captionThe Daily Mail leads with a “desperate” appeal from No 10 for people to stay at home as the coronavirus daily death toll hit 1,325 on Friday – a record high. Despite the lockdown being imposed, infections are rising at an alarming rate, the prime minister has said. “I know the last year has taken its toll,” Boris Johnson added. “But your compliance is now more vital than ever.” An “advertising blitz” will run on television, radio, newspapers and social media carrying images of the severely ill in hospital, the paper adds.

image captionThe Daily Express also leads on the government’s warning to people to act as though “you’ve got the virus”. The paper says a Downing Street source has said many people are not taking the situation as seriously as last March.

image captionMinisters are considering a “tough crackdown” to ensure more people stay at home, the Daily Telegraph reports, as concerns grow over compliance with the current rules. It is estimated that one in 15 people are infected in some parts of London, as rates in Liverpool and other areas almost quadruple in a week, the paper adds.

image captionThe Times also leads on crackdowns, with police reportedly toughening enforcement of the lockdown amid fears from government scientific advisers that infections could remain high for months if people ignore restrictions. The paper adds that figures suggest people are leaving home far more than they did during England’s first lockdown last spring. Police forces have said they will take a more hardline approach to those breaching the rules, the paper says, citing examples where officers questioned walkers at beauty spots and fined people for exercising too far from their homes.

image captionMeanwhile, police officers have been redeployed to drive ambulances, the i weekend reports, with a photo of ambulances outside an emergency department dominating the front page. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has declared a major incident in London as Covid-19 “threatens to overwhelm hospitals”, the paper adds.

image captionThe FT Weekend also leads with Mr Khan’s comments that the spread of the virus in the capital is “out of control”. The NHS said hospitals in London were admitting 800 patients with Covid-19 each day. There are concerns the city’s hospitals could have insufficient beds in the coming weeks and Mr Khan has urged the government to take emergency measures, including giving extra money to those self-isolating and making sure face masks are worn outside the home.

image captionStriking a slightly more positive tone, the Daily Mirror leads on the news that the Moderna jab became the third coronavirus vaccine to get approval in the UK, joining the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.

image captionMeanwhile, the Sun leads with Dame Barbara Windsor’s “star-studded” funeral, which took place on Friday. Her on-screen son, Ross Kemp, is quoted as saying: “The nation loved you, we loved you, and we all will miss you.”

image captionAnd the Daily Star labels recent events in Washington DC “America’s shame”, with US President Donald Trump mocked up as a baby in the main image. “Madder than mad Jack McMad” is the headline, highlighting fears he could start a nuclear war and concerns from his aids over his mental health. It comes after Mr Trump announced he would not attend the inauguration of his successor Joe Biden.