Newspaper headlines: 'Happy New Tier' and 'Jabby Monday'
"A national lockdown looms" again, warns the Daily Telegraph.
It suggests England could face a third coronavirus lockdown by the middle of the month and that ministers are discussing the return of shielding.
And there are fears, the paper reports, that restrictions could remain until at least Easter.
"Happy New Tier," quips the Metro in its headline, speculating that a fifth tier of virus restrictions could be created - a plan the Sun also concludes is "very likely".
The i expects more areas to be placed in tier four, while the Times writes Boris Johnson will make a decision on Wednesday when figures reveal the impact of Christmas mixing. The paper's Scottish edition suggests that Scotland could face tight curbs until spring.
EPAThe defiance of some councils against the prime minister's demand for primary schools to reopen this morning has created what the Daily Mirror describes as "class chaos".
The paper gives Mr Johnson 0 out of 10 for leaving parents "paralysed with uncertainty" over school reopenings, and claims his "dithering" is "deepening the "chasm between the rich and poor kids".
The Financial Times says his plan is in "disarray", and the Guardian calls it a crisis which leaves parents facing more uncertainty - after Mr Johnson suggested more schools could close.
The Daily Star dismisses his suggestion that schools are safe, citing the evidence of a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage). Prof Sir Mark Walport says children between 12 and 16 are seven times more likely to spread Covid. than other age groups.
PA WireThe Sun celebrates the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine with the headline "Jabby Monday".
It pictures a syringe, labelled a jab-o-meter, that suggests six million doses will be given out by end of the month. The tabloid calls the vaccine a "dose of genius" that "gives hope not just to the people of this nation but to the world."
The Daily Express says the vaccine will give hope to tens of millions, but calls for immunisation facilities to be ramped up and red tape removed - which it says is stopping retired doctors coming back to help with the programme.
It's a view shared by the Daily Telegraph, which also recommends "round-the-clock" vaccine production and 24-hour clinical hubs. Sources tell the paper that the NHS has refused to commit to delivering the government's ambition of two million jabs a week.
They say there are huge difficulties in getting sufficient vaccinators - a suggestion rejected by an NHS spokesman, who insists availability of the vaccine is the main barrier.
PA WireThe Daily Mail reports on the huge bills faced by about four million people living in tower blocks with dangerous cladding that caused the Grenfell Tower fire.
Leaseholders are being asked to pay on average £40,000 to replace the unsafe material. They're also being billed for extra insurance, fire patrols, safety test and alarm systems.
Almost two thirds of youth groups in England are at risk of closure because of funding shortfalls, the Guardian reveals.
The figure comes from the charity UK Youth, which is concerned that 1.6 million vulnerable young people could miss out on the support these organisations provide.
A small village near Newcastle is to be the first on the UK gas network to receive a mix of hydrogen in their supply, according to the Financial Times.
More than 650 homes in Winlaton in Gateshead will take part in the trial in which up to 20% of hydrogen will be blended with natural gas. The aim is to find a cleaner gas as hydrogen doesn't emit carbon dioxide when burnt.
And the Daily Mirror reports that Jodie Whittaker is to leave Doctor Who at the end of the next series. An insider tells the paper "it's all very hush hush but... they are gearing up for a regeneration".
