Amid all of the fear and sorrow, the horizon is lit with hope for Britain

THIS is a critical time in the battle against the coronavirus but we can take encouragement from the latest evidence that the extraordinary shutdown of so much of daily life is delivering results.

NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis yesterday welcomed “green shoots” and pointed to a “bit of a plateau” in new cases.

This is by no means a cause for us to drop our guard. Rather, it is a reason for even greater vigilance in the campaign to rid Britain of this terrible virus.

The plateauing suggests there is a real chance that the growth in infections can be slowed so the NHS is not overwhelmed and deaths will be limited.

The image of our health service effectively collapsing under a deluge of new cases is almost too terrible to contemplate. People in every nation of the UK have grasped the severity of the situation and abided by the regulations.

We may never match the heroism and courage of NHS workers on the frontline, but all of us who stay at home are part of the emergency effort to save lives.

The necessity for continued action is clear. Already, 1,789 deaths have been linked to the disease and the bitterly sad truth is more families will lose treasured members in the days and weeks ahead.

More than 10,000 people have been admitted to hospital and work is under way to get more beds ready across the country.

It is essential that workers at greatest risk, and those caring for the most vulnerable individuals, have world-class protective equipment. And it is imperative a proper programme of testing is up and running.

Cabinet office minister Michael Gove displayed candour and an appreciation of the urgency when he said Britain must go “further, faster” in ramping up testing.

While the Government has a target of 25,000 tests a day, a mere 8,000 people were tested on Monday. In contrast, Germany is reportedly aiming to deliver 200,000 tests a day.

The global shortage of the necessary chemicals is just one of the challenges facing our country but people in every branch of government, the emergency services and throughout our national life are working to save lives. As the latest evidence shows, this labour is not in vain.

People have spent birthdays looking out of the window instead of sitting around a table with loved ones. Children clamber over the sofa because they cannot play on the climbing frame at the park.

This season of confinement will pass but it is utterly worthwhile.Amid the fear and sorrow the horizon is lit with hope.