Wednesday's papers focus on Covid-19 over Christmas and the prospect of further restrictions as the new variant becomes dominant.
The Irish Times leads with comments from Taoiseach Micheál Martin that there will be no further Covid-19 restrictions imposed before Christmas. Mr Martin said the Government would keep the situation under constant review but declined to rule out new restrictions once more is known about the Omicron variant.
Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner leads with how a woman who died from cervical cancer had been visited in hospital by CervicalCheck to ask her to conceal her case. It comes as her husband settled a court action over the alleged misinterpretation of four of her smear slides.
The front page of today's Irish Examiner and @ExaminerSport.
Subscribe now at: https://t.co/Bqu30OWktz pic.twitter.com/8nvmoaDy0N— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) December 22, 2021
The Echo focuses on an investigation into the obstruction of gardaí carrying on duties on Saturday, and, the opening of a vaccination hub for children in Cork City centre.
The Irish Independent leads with an overview of what counties are being dominated by the Omicron variant of Covid-19. It comes as the timeframe between seconded doses of vaccines and boosters has been reduced to three months.
The Irish Daily Star reports a high level investigation into corruption within An Garda Síochána. According to the paper, a Garda station was raided, and three officers were arrested as part of the investigation.
Wednesday’s front page pic.twitter.com/e4J8uJyVSi
— Irish Daily Star (@IsFearrAnStar) December 22, 2021
The Irish Sun covers the murder of Irish boxer Kevin Sheehy, with his family sharing their pain following the sentencing of Logan Jackson on Tuesday. Jackson was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murdering Mr Sheehy.
This morning's Irish Sun. pic.twitter.com/VrUtzDCDWW
— The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) December 22, 2021
Pubs, restaurants and nightclubs are likely to be targeted by new Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland, according to the Belfast Telegraph. It comes as Stormont ministers are due to meet on Wednesday to discuss the latest situation.
Morning readers, stay with us for all your breaking news, here's what our front page looks like this morning. https://t.co/ZFlfbJQwqj pic.twitter.com/0kSdlRakHp
— Belfast Telegraph (@BelTel) December 22, 2021
Meanwhile, in the UK, papers revolve around the news that Christmas celebrations can go ahead on December 25th despite the surge in Omicron cases.
The Guardian, Metro and The Daily Telegraph have the latest in the UK potentially locking down for Christmas as Omicron cases continue to surge, reporting that Boris Johnson has “promised millions of families there will be no lockdown this Christmas”. However, restrictions could still imposed for New Year’s Eve.
Guardian front page, Wednesday 22 December 2021: PM rules out
further curbs on Christmas socialising pic.twitter.com/ZRzaOH9oFx— The Guardian (@guardian) December 21, 2021
Wednesday's front page:
XMAS CAN GO AHEAD!#tomorrowspaperstoday #skypapers #BBCPapers pic.twitter.com/s58iAdxRVm— Metro US (@MetroUS) December 21, 2021
📰The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
'Glad tidings for Chirstmas (but perhaps not New Year)'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/r9PlLu3ypi— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) December 21, 2021
The Daily Express adds that curbs will continue to loom.
Tomorrow's front page: Christmas can go ahead, but new curbs loom #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/WDGgaNo7fv pic.twitter.com/e6qHvy3yUl
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) December 21, 2021
The Daily Mail and i are also running with the news that a locked-down Christmas has been scrapped for England, adding that if London’s hospitalisation figures from Covid remain under 400 no restrictions will be imposed after December 25th either.
Wednesday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/5RkOmIei2m
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) December 21, 2021
Wednesday's front page: Christmas is happening. Now UK waits on London hospital data#TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/iTriNdAw9j pic.twitter.com/N5bdJP1MwA
— i newspaper (@theipaper) December 21, 2021
The Daily Mirror reports that the prime minister’s clarification around restrictions has come too late for pubs and restaurants dealing with hundreds of cancellations.
Tomorrow's front page: Xmas cheer & fear #TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/Zl0igRIQRq pic.twitter.com/t7HoXJyRsk
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) December 21, 2021
The Independent says that the UK cabinet secretary has been accused of misleading officials over what he knew about Christmas parties being held in his department during last year’s lockdown.
Tomorrow's @independent front page #tomorrowspaperstoday To subscribe to the Daily Edition https://t.co/koJc3LN1ax pic.twitter.com/dk8iyOxPYb
— Thair Shaikh (@ThairShaikh) December 21, 2021
Elsewhere, the Daily Star says that lateral flow tests for Covid are this year’s “must-have toy”.
Tomorrow's front page: The most bizarre must-have this Xmas https://t.co/6O5LW5nRuo#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/hHRGLCeOM8
— Daily Star (@dailystar) December 21, 2021
The Times leads with Mr Johnson urging the British public to test for Covid prior to seeing family on Christmas.
TIMES: Take test to see family at Christmas, says @BorisJohnson #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/M9ua8lafyN
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 21, 2021
And the Financial Times reports that Russian president Vladimir Putin is warning of a military response if Nato and the US continue their presence near the country’s borders.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Wednesday 22 December https://t.co/qcEfF7ayJ2 pic.twitter.com/PdfNiNnsAV
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) December 21, 2021
