Star comment: A Christmas wish to send Covid packing

Oliver Cromwell couldn’t do it. Hitler couldn’t do it. And for all the misery it has wrought among the population, ordinary Britons will still find a way to celebrate amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As last year, having Covid hanging over proceedings will mean that once again it cannot be the carefree Christmas we have enjoyed in previous years, but in dark days having a good time, while exercising sensible precautions and acting responsibly, is a real tonic that everybody could do with and actually, in the wake of the sacrifices that have been made, deserves.

The backdrop is an absolute tidal wave of Omicron infections.

The tested-positive unfortunates will be ill, or if symptomless, self isolating, and sadly for some families, even in these mass vaccinated times, there will in future be reason to remember this time of year for all the wrong reasons.

And we have seen the knock-on impact through the disruption the new wave is causing, with cancellations of trains because of lack of staff just one example.

In the current circumstances, and with all that is going on at home and across the world, this great Christian festival is a time to reflect on what is really important to us, a point underlined in the Christmas message of the Bishop of Lichfield.

Faith gives comfort and hope. And in the face of Omicron we can also say that there is a rising body of science which gives hope too – hope that it will not prove to be as malign as had been first feared when it made its unwelcome appearance on the scene just weeks ago.

For whatever reason, the early indications are that it is milder, and that an infection rate which has topped 100,000 in one day has not, at least so far, led to a level of hospitalisations which threatens to overwhelm the NHS.

Fingers remain firmly crossed. Could this be one final offensive which sweeps at great speed through the nation’s population, but causing only mild cases, before Covid retreats and leaves us to get on with our lives?

Britons are tired and weary, having come so far, and endured so much.

Nothing is certain, but this time of year is traditionally one of good cheer, so the good cheer way of seeing things is that Christmas 2021 will possibly be the decisive turning point which sees the last hurrah of Covid.

So that’s a Christmas gift for 2021 to wish for – that our many sacrifices finally break the back of the assault by this dreadful ongoing virus.