England leads the way over Omicron fightback

With the world so globalised thanks to the Internet it should be possible for all countries to face whatever challenge comes to the planet in a joined-up follow-my-leader way, so everyone benefits from the same lessons learned. Unfortunately that has not happened with Covid-19, with countries going their own way, some successfully, others disastrously. This of course is because of governments, local, state and federal, choosing different methods for countering the virus for individual, political, social or even ideological reasons. Yet amidst all this confusion and disunity, England - I have to say England because Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all taken different approaches as is their right - has stepped forward as a leader in the field. Not just with the distribution of vaccines and boosters but also with guaging, hopefully, the right balance between freedom restrictions and returning to normality. The decision by the Boris Johnson government not to order any form of lockdown/closures/bans over Christmas and New Year was a huge gamble, and infections rose unbelievably. But hospitalisations and deaths did not rise in the same way and, again hopefully, it seems the Omicron variant makes you feel ill for a bit but, unless you are suffering from some other illness or are just unlucky, you soon start to feel better. So Omicron IS milder, whatever the World Health Organisation says. Now the Boris government is saying we will have to live with Covid for years to come but it should be treated like flu. So the return to normal continues, with the exception of the sensible and mandatory wearing of masks. A lot of American governors and mayors are looking at the England example and seem determined to do the same. ie no further restrictions and keep schools and businesses open. It has to be the right way forward although with so many Omicron infections it means large numbers of people are having to stay at home isolating. That too can be dealt with over the next few weeks, with the isolation periods being cut back. If Boris DOES prove to have taken the right Covid decision it could boost his political fortunes which have been somewhat battered in recent weeks.