Britain is winning against Omicron — so Boris must just keep buggering on
(Alamy)
You would never guess it from the media coverage, but Britain is actually doing rather well in the battle against the new Omicron variant of Covid. The booster campaign hasn’t quite reached a million jabs a day, but it is getting close. And the decision to buy hundreds of millions of lateral flow tests has been vindicated.
Taking a test before you see friends and family has become the new normal. The accuracy of testing against Omicron has made possible Sajid Javid’s announcement that the isolation period for those with Covid will be reduced from ten to seven days, “effective immediately”, provided that one tests negative on Days 6 and 7. This move will be welcomed by millions.
I should declare an interest here. I have Covid and am isolating in Norfolk, with mild symptoms but far from home in London. For people who have the coronavirus, the possibility — and for me it is still only a possibility — of being released from isolation after only a week makes the difference between a family Christmas and a solitary one. If the medical advice is now that repeated negative tests mean that one is no longer infectious, then the Government is right to give us this “get out of jail free” card right away.
Of course, the UK is very far from being near the end of the Omicron wave. We are not even near the beginning of the end. The experts cannot yet say when the peak will come, or how bad it will be. Hospitals are coping well with the rise in admissions so far, but we have yet to see much of the huge spike in cases translate into serious illness and death.
Treatments have hugely improved in the last year and the triple vaccination programme means that far fewer patients will develop life-threatening symptoms. But there are still up to six million unvaccinated people who, according to Javid, now make up nine out of ten Covid patients in hospital. Toxic myths and rumours about the pandemic still circulate and some people will die because of them.
Hence it matters that the success of the campaign against Omicron coincides with a period of unpopularity for the Government. It is hardly surprising that the Conservatives have now been trailing behind Labour for some weeks, nor that the gap is widening. As we approach the middle of this Parliament, a number of issues are in play: long term ones such as inflation, taxation, immigration and housing, along with more immediate concerns such as sleaze and Partygate.
The country is sick of the pandemic and dismayed to see a Government that is divided on how to see us through it. That division has been highlighted in the most unedifying way, when about 100 MPs rebelled and again when Lord Frost resigned, both over “vaccine passports”. The world is watching the UK’s response to Omicron and this is what they see: a Government that has largely avoided “coercive” measures, instead basing its approach on voluntary vaccination and testing, so far with considerable success. What a pity that many senior Conservatives see something entirely different — and no wonder the country is unimpressed.
The Prime Minister has an especially important role in this phase of the pandemic — but he also has a problem with the public. Polls show that Boris Johnson is now approaching the levels of unpopularity last seen in the final days of Theresa May’s premiership. Never mind whether or not he deserves it: such a loss of authority is a serious handicap when appealing directly to the public, as he did last night.
The PM explained why the Government has decided against a “circuit-breaker” just before Christmas: what we know does not justify limiting private indoor gatherings — yet. But some will say: he tried to “save Christmas” last year, too, and then we had the worst month of the pandemic in January. The messenger should amplify the message, not cause people to cast doubt on it.
Yet it is hardly the Prime Minister’s fault if he is blamed for playing politics with the pandemic. So, after all, are the opposition parties and, of course, the rebels. Some leadership rivals are said to be signalling their readiness to step into his shoes. If so, they are entirely out of step with the voters. However disillusioned or frustrated they may be with the man they elected just two years ago, the country expects him to get on with the job.
The gap between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer tells us far more about the former than the latter. Few have yet seriously thought about the Labour leader as a potential PM. And it is not too late for the incumbent to rebuild his standing in the country. He just needs to keep doing the right things. The old Boris magic may or may not return, but hard work and competence can go a long way. Right now, in our daily lives, we all taking each day as it comes. It’s the same with politics. The only thing to do is to follow Churchill’s advice: just keep buggering on.
A Message from TheArticle
We are the only publication that’s committed to covering every angle. We have an important contribution to make, one that’s needed now more than ever, and we need your help to continue publishing throughout the pandemic. So please, make a donation.
