Scotland's papers: Coronavirus care home testing and vaccine hopes
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The Herald reports that politicians have called for more testing in Scotland's care homes. It highlights comments made by the Scottish Labour and Conservative leaders who have both called for more testing. Scottish Care chief executive Donald Macaskill has also said there should be regular testing of all staff and residents. The Scottish government has said it is looking at the clinical advice.
The Press and Journal front page also reports on the situation in care homes. It says the "crisis-hit sector" will be overseen by a taskforce which will check quality.
Poor sick pay is forcing care staff to avoid being tested for coronavirus, according to the Glasgow Times. The paper says it understands that some care homes have told staff they are only entitled to statutory sick pay, which it says works out at about £94 per week.
The National reports that a contact tracing system to suppress coronavirus is now being trialled by three health boards. The Scottish government has said the two-week pilot will allow health boards to test out the software which contact tracers will in future use to collect data.
Half of all people in the UK could be vaccinated against the coronavirus if an Oxford University trial succeeds, the Scottish Daily Mail says. It reports the UK government's Business Secretary Alok Sharma's comments that 30 million doses could be made by September, if the vaccine is shown to work.
The vaccine hope comes as all volunteers in the first phase of the Oxford trial have been immunised with scientists awaiting the results, the Scottish Daily Express says.
The Scotsman reports that Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has denied there was any "failure in approach" around contact tracing after an outbreak of coronavirus at a Nike conference in Edinburgh. The paper reports that two Scottish firms claim their staff became unwell after coming into contact with delegates at the Nike conference, which took place in February.
A study being considered by the UK government suggests coronavirus does not spread widely in schools, the Daily Telegraph reports. The paper says the report found 18 infected students and teachers across 15 schools only passed the virus on to two others.
Hopes that Britons would be able to enjoy foreign holidays this summer without entering a 14-day quarantine on their return have been dashed, The Times reports. The paper says lorry drivers will make up the majority of those exempted from the new measure, due to begin next month.
Workplace safety inspections heralded by Boris Johnson "don't exist" the i paper says. The paper reports the Health and Safety Executive as saying companies should "self-police" social distancing rules as it protects its own inspectors.
Robbie Williams will rejoin Take That for an online lockdown concert to raise money for coronavirus charities, according to The Scottish Sun. Each band member will perform from their own homes.
The Aberdeen Evening Express front page reports that tributes have been paid to a local man who died after having a heart attack. Douglas Findlater, 50, was described as having a "heart of gold". The paper said mourners at the janitor's funeral applauded him on his final journey.
Two men have been arrested after police were called to a house in Cambuslang, The Daily Record reports.
Alliance Trust Savings, a Dundee-based financial firm, has been censured by the Information Commissioner over a data breach involving access to an “excessive amount” of employees’ sensitive personal data, The Courier reports.
Under a picture of convicted murderer Henry Gallagher, the Evening Telegraph front page says it has unearthed a short story detailing killings. Gallagher admitted to police that he killed Alexander and Dorothy Wood at their Roseangle home in 1980, but did not stand trial for their deaths. He was detained at Broadmoor Hospital after he was tried for a double murder in Kent.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to repay taxpayer contributions towards the refurbishment of their home on the Queen's Windsor estate, the Daily Star reports. The Sussexes' payment plan will take 11 years to clear the multi-million cost of renovations to Frogmore Cottage, the paper says.
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