New message shows we’re ready to progress

The Government’s new pandemic slogan is a welcome sign that the country is surely, if all too slowly, moving forward: “Stay alert. Control the virus. Save lives.” “Stay home” is gone – although the rules will continue to encourage it for many, but not all – and “protect the NHS” is excised, too, presumably because the health service, contrary to the worst predictions, has not been overwhelmed.

There is also a new colour-coded warning system, running from one to five, that will let the public know what state we are in and what restrictions are required. Britain is at stage four, with the R number hovering around 1 (though the reproduction rate is clearly well below that outside care homes) and the NHS operating with unused capacity. Boris Johnson hopes we can move to three if things improve. We are not there yet.

The new wording will give the country a sense of purpose and momentum even when not a lot has actually changed. Britain is shifting from a strategy focused on preventing medical collapse and towards learning to live with Covid-19 as a daily reality. This direction of travel is correct, even if it is a shame that the Government has not proceeded down that road faster.

Britain has to find a new balance. We need to reopen the economy as quickly as it is safe to do so, which requires common sense and care – along with a willingness to take reasonable risks. The private sector has already begun: far more activity had halted than stipulated by the official guidance and some of this is now being rectified. The public sector must help, too. That is why it is disappointing that teaching unions are already throwing up objections to the reopening of schools, even though the evidence suggests that children present a low risk of spreading the disease and increasing the R number.

Not only could this mean pupils missing out on months of critical education, but much of the economy will remain frozen solid if parents cannot return to work. Other countries have already reopened parts of their education system; Britain must follow as soon as it can. Trades unionists cannot be allowed to stand in the way of progress.