A shocking lack of testing, ventilators and protective equipment was exposed in full today as the UK media finally wakes up to government failings.
The Daily Telegraph – staunch advocates of the Johnson administration – leads on the questions being asked about why Britain lags behind other countries on rates of coronavirus testing.
The Daily Mirror says it’s a “shambles” that only 0.16 per cent of NHS staff have been tested for coronavirus, a theme also taken up by the Daily Mail.
The i says NHS staff have been “let down on testing”, while The Times says virus testing plans are “in chaos”.
The Independent also highlights the testing issue and the Daily Star also joins in, calling on Boris Johnson to “get a bleedin’ grip” on the problem.
And Metro illustrates the contrast between the “sublime” effort to prepare the Nightingale Hospital and the “ridiculous” situation of frontline NHS workers still being short of vital protective equipment.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 patients who are more likely to die “may have ventilators taken away”, according to The Guardian.
The Sun highlights the “clap of honour” tonight and every Thursday night for NHS workers.
The Financial Times leads on unemployment rates skyrocketing due to the outbreak.
And the Daily Express calls for banks to repay favours from their 2008 bailout by coming to the aid of taxpayers in the current crisis.
The reaction has been just as good. Abi Wilkinson tweeted: “Shocked to learn from the newspapers that the British government has fucked it”.
While James Melville noted: “It looks like the entire print media has turned against the government over their handling of the Coronavirus crisis”.
