'Shambles': Boris Johnson battered by UK press over lack of frontline coronavirus tests

Boris Johnson has been criticised by the British press for his government’s failure to provide tests for NHS staff working on the frontline against coronavirus.

Thursday’s newspaper front pages were hostile towards the prime minister after it was revealed that only 2,000 of the UK’s half a million NHS workers had been tested for COVID-19.

Even pro-Tory newspapers seemingly turned on Johnson’s handling of the outbreak and endangering the lives of key workers.

It comes after five frontline NHS workers were said to have lost their lives due to a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Ministers are now under pressure to explain why Britain is "struggling to match its European neighbour, Germany" and providing adequate protection for frontline workers.

On Wednesday, the UK death toll climbed by 31% to 2,352 – a jump of 563 from Tuesday’s official death toll of 1,789.