Midwinter has brought chilling news of a new crisis, the return of a lockdown as strict as last March and a danger of hospitals unable to cope with an avalanche of patients.
The prime minister, in a television address last night, announced that the new lockdown in England would last until mid February at the earliest. All schools will remain closed - some had been back for just one day - everyone who could should work from home. University students must stay at home. The country is virtually shutting down.
The situation in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is equally serious with coronavirus cases soaring to record levels. over 50,000 a day.
Some hospitals in south east England are sending seriously ill patients two hundred miles to hospitals in the south west.
The PM warned that the next few weeks would be the most difficult so far. Parliament is being recalled to pass the new rules into law.
The new form of coronavirus, more infectious than the original, is spreading to other countries. There has been assurance that the vaccines are effective against it.
The redeeming feature in the latest situation is the vaccination programme is moving up a gear, which it needs to after a slower than expected start.
Once again, hope of an end to the saga is being deferred. We will have to endure this dangerous, inhospitable winter and look forward to relief in the spring sunshine.
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