Glimmers of hope in our uncertain future

THE coronavirus has laid a heavy hand on our era. The British toll of fatalities stands at 34,796 – higher than many expected – and despite a few degrees of relaxation we remain in its grip.

But there are glimmers of hope. Yesterday the UK showed the lowest daily increase in deaths since lockdown began on March 24. That figure, at 160, is still agonising but at least demonstrates a downward trend and improves on Sunday’s figure of 170, the lowest for 53 days. By way of contrast, our worst day – April 2 – saw 961 deaths.

The numbers of patients admitted to hospital for Covid-19 are also declining. An estimated 678 patients were treated in hospital in England on Saturday, down from 701 a week earlier. This fall is broadly consistent with other badly hit countries including Italy, whose most recent daily death toll fell to 99 – the lowest since March 5 – and Spain, with 59 fatalities.

No one should celebrate. Each death is tragic and we have a long way to go. And while we may cautiously hope that this devastating virus’s peak has passed, there remains the possibility of a second one, perhaps next winter. As the deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said, we may have to learn to live with Covid-19 for years.

But our health infrastructure is being constantly augmented. The Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that anyone five and over with symptoms is now eligible for a test. There’s a target of 200,000 tests per day by the end of this month, and more than 21,000 staff have been recruited to the army of contact tracers.

New criteria have been added to the diagnosis, such as the loss of smell and taste, long reported as a symptom by sufferers. And while the NHS track and trace app is still a week or two away, scientists are hard at work on the holy grail: a vaccine.

Fighting Covid-19 is like a war on several fronts, where attacks come from unexpected places. But we are making progress, helped by an NHS that has been nothing but magnificent. We are moving again. And confidence itself will play its part.

As John Keats wrote in his 1817 poem To Hope: “Sweet Hope, ethereal balm upon me shed.” Mental fortitude – and positive thoughts – will help us get through this exceptional period.