After Omicron: there’s no longer a case for restrictions on liberty

Covid-19 is in decline in Britain, with Omicron cases now falling as fast as they rose. The booster programme — which covers 95 per cent of pensioners — has helped fend off the risk of hospitals being overwhelmed. This gives Boris Johnson the chance to say that his plan worked, that Britain benefited from having the highest booster protection in Europe and that we can now repair the damage of a two-year crisis.

The great recovery can begin — or it could if Johnson were able to lead. His bizarre decision to self-isolate last week — he was under no obligation to do so — gave the impression that he was hiding from questions about his parties and staff misbehaviour during lockdown. Rather than push the success story and build on the opportunities, he has cowered.

We now know that the Plan B restrictions were never needed because Omicron poses nowhere near as much of a threat as earlier variants.