Newspaper headlines: ‘Tier 4 for all’ and ‘Royals break rule of six’

image captionThe new variant of coronavirus is “everywhere” says the Times. The paper reports UK chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance as warning the toughest tier four rules must now be extended to “get ahead” of the bug. It adds that disruption at British ports is expected until at least Christmas Eve as France proposes “compulsory” mass testing of lorry drivers.

image captionThe mutation of coronavirus “is heading north”, according to the Daily Mirror which says it is already spreading across the UK. The new variant threatens to “plunge more areas into tough tier four restrictions,” the paper adds. It notes that Boris Johnson refused to rule out schools staying closed in January.

image captionThe Daily Telegraph says Boris Johnson is drawing up plans to mass test lorry drivers to end disruption at ports in the south of England. The paper reports infrastructure to deliver the tests is being prepared by ministers. Elsewhere, it says a plan to keep schools closed throughout January is on the table at No 10. And it claims the UK and EU are edging closer to securing a free-trade deal.

image captionMr Johnson has been warned to impose a full national lockdown in England - or risk “human disaster”, claims the Guardian. It says scientists have told the PM he must extend harsh restrictions beyond the south and east of England to keep out the fast-spreading new virus variant.

image captionSenior royals are accused by the Daily Mail of inadvertently flouting coronavirus regulations at a Christmas attraction in Norfolk. The paper says the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children “mingled” with Prince Edward, his wife and their two children at a themed woodland walk in Sandringham. It is in tier two where the rule of six applies outdoors. Royal sources tell the Mail there was no intention of meeting up as a party of nine and that the two parties had been given “separate consecutive” time slots for the event.

image captionMore countries banned arrivals from the UK as nations act over the new variant of the virus, the FT reports. It says there is an “international wave of alarm” over the detection of the mutation. Stock markets plunged and supermarkets rushed to keep customers calm amid chaos at Kent ports, it adds.

image captionThe UK is “sealed off from the world” reports the i paper. It says Britain has been “effectively put in quarantine” as more than 40 countries announce travel bans. It also reports Sir Patrick Vallance’s words at the Downing Street briefing raising the prospect of more places entering tier four.

image caption“Sprout of order!” says the Sun as it reports a call from supermarkets and ministers to stop panic buying - alongside a picture of an empty shelf.

image caption“Jingle Hell,” is how the Metro sees it. It reports queues outside supermarkets and on the M20 in Kent as panic-buying meets port disruption amid fears over the new variant of coronavirus. The paper says worried shoppers hit stores at 06:00 on Monday and still found queues when they got there.

image captionThe Daily Star questions who would stockpile lettuce after empty veg aisle shelves were pictured by shoppers on Monday.