Of pandemic to Endemia: The United Kingdom plan to live with the Covid after omicron

Showing the whole world how to live with the Covid: That is the declared objective of the Government of London, which is prepared to move from the "pandemic"

Of pandemic to Endemia: The United Kingdom plan to live with the Covid after omicron

Showing the whole world how to live with the Covid: That is the declared objective of the Government of London, which is prepared to move from the "pandemic" phase to the "endemic" of Coronavirus. "I hope we are one of the first great economies in showing the world how to make the transition from the pandemic to endemic disease, and then face the time that stays with us, whether five, six, seven or ten years old," HA Affirmed the Minister of Education, Nadhim Zahawi, who was previously a minister of vaccination.

It is an optimism justified by the latest data, which show how the curve of the omicron variant has stopped and has begun to decrease: Cases "are not growing as before and may have stabilized throughout the country," Professor David has confirmed Spiegelhalter, one of the main British statistical experts, "we certainly do not see a great increase in admissions and deaths in the ICU".

And all this despite the almost total absence of restrictive measures: at Christmas, Boris Johnson resisted the pressure of the most catastrophic scientists, who asked for drastic and immediate measures. A very risky bet, but once again seems to have been worth it.

Actually, the strategy of living with the virus instead of aimed at unrealistic eradication has always been the guidance of the British Government: That is why all restrictions were eliminated last summer, despite a much higher level of infections than in The rest of Europe. During the fall, the United Kingdom effectively returned to total normality, but the omicron variant arrived and put it all legs up: The Johnson government was forced to partially reverse its opening and introduced the masks indoors when outdoors had never been Tax, not even in the sharpest phase of the pandemic, launched a soft passport form Covid (only for nightclubs and great events) and recommended working from home as long as possible.

At Christmas, however, the situation seemed to be out of control and many feared for the stability of the National Health System: Johnson avoided a greater hardening of restrictions, also for political reasons. In fact, up to a hundred deputies of his conservative party had already rebelled against the introduction of those first restrictive measures, in particular the Covid passport, considered alien to a country of rooted liberal traditions as the United Kingdom: Johnson risked a motion of trust if he dared to go beyond.

Whatever the profound reasons for their decisions, the British seem to have managed to overcome the wave of omicron and can now focus once more on the abolition of all restrictions. The vaccination campaign, which has been entertained enormously, has had a leading role: more than 60% of the population over 12 years old has also received the third dose. And this without having to resort to any kind of vaccination obligation. When a minister was asked if he would follow the example of Italy, he replied: "We are a free country."

The date that now looks around the world is on January 26, when the British Government will have to review the measures in force: the right of the Conservative Party already requests "total freedom" and it is likely that the Covid passport is eliminated and the recommendation of the teleworking, while the masks, at least in public transport, could be maintained one more time.

But by March Johnson should announce a comprehensive plan to "live with the Covid" that also provides for the end of the massive tests and the reduction of isolation days in case of positivity: in London, hope is placed in a new spring normal.

Date Of Update: 11 January 2022, 11:18