THE vaccine threat, the thrill of strangers and the future of retail were the topics debated by columnists and contributors in the newspapers.

The Daily Express

Paul Baldwin said the EU threatening to withhold 19 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to be shipped to the UK has the very real potential consequence of killing British citizens.

The language being used across the Channel has a ‘decidedly sinister ring of 1939 about it’, he said.

“The talk is of seizing factories, waiving patents and of course banning exports unless Boris Johnson “surrenders” British-made AstraZeneca jabs to the EU,” he said. “This is the language of wartime.

“The threats, both open and veiled, of breaching treaties, reneging on agreements, breaking international law and ignoring world opinion is also straight out of the warmongers’ playbook.”

The moment of truth is on Thursday, he said, when a European Council Summit meet to decide on whether to enforce the threat.

“Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned the EU “the world is watching” - it remains to be seen whether the good burghers in Brussels give a stuff.”

The Guardian

Louis Staples said that, before Covid, he never liked meeting strangers.

“ As much as I love my friends, maintaining relationships takes time, so why open myself up to someone new if there’s no obvious connection?,” he asked.

Then the pandemic hit and he can’t remember one meaningful in-person connection with someone new.

“I’m now craving meeting new people more than ever,” he said. “I’d love to connect with a friend-of-a-friend at the pub, a new colleague over a slightly-too-warm white wine after work, or a mischievous stranger in a nightclub.

“As the end of lockdown approaches I hope I can give more new connections a chance in the hope of finding the spark that makes life feel exciting.”

The Scotsman

Simon Geale said 2020 was never going to be a bumper year for the high street.

“With news that Scottish sales fell 24.3 per cent year-on-year in February 2021, what does this new reopening have in store for us?,” he said. “Three key factors will converge: pent up demand, unsold stock, and a feel-good factor. Stores will continue to focus on safety, and the average spend per customer will be higher than at pre-pandemic levels.”

He said shoppers will go out less but buy more when they do.

“2021 marks the start of the great customer experience revolution and we can expect high streets to become a place to live, work, socialise and shop,” he said.

“Retail will obsess over us, fight for our money and transform around us.”