The stakes during this pandemic have never been higher — we must stay at home

BEHIND the closed doors of the Covid wards in hospitals across London lie scenes reminiscent of a war zone.

Exhausted doctors are having to choose which dying patients to treat. Breathless elderly folk wait alone on trolleys in corridors. Fleets of ambulances bearing ever greater numbers of Covid casualties queue endlessly outside.

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Hospitals in London are being stretched to capacity due to rising Covid casesCredit: PA:Press Association

Boris Johnson has begged. Professor Chris Whitty has pleaded.

But their Stay at Home message is just not cutting through as it did last March.

Let’s be honest. Who among us has not been tempted to go out more often than we should or bend the rules?

After ten awful months we are all understandably suffering lockdown fatigue. Many are worn down by months of isolation, unable to see loved ones and friends.

Others are not listening or downright deliberately reckless.

The disturbing truth may be that we are just not frightened enough any more.

NATIONAL EFFORT

But we simply cannot afford to ignore the rules any longer. Complacency over compliance is deadly.

Infection rates are too high, hospitalisations are too high. Deaths are too high. The stakes during this terrible pandemic have never been higher.

This great country must unite for one last sacrifice, for just a few weeks longer.

It’s a national effort in the war on Covid.

Get your favourite paper home delivered for free and stay indoors.

Together we can do it.

Good jab

GIVING priority in the queue for the vaccine to volunteers who help deliver millions of jabs is a masterstroke.

There have been a great many mis-steps in the Government’s handling of the pandemic but there are signs immunisation will not be another.

Vaccine volunteers will be classed as 'protected workers' - meaning they will receive the Covid vaccine alongside doctors and nurses — Vaccine volunteers will be classed as ‘protected workers’ – meaning they will receive the Covid vaccine alongside doctors and nursesCredit: PA:Press Association

Matt Hancock says we are on course to vaccinate all over 18s by the Autumn.

With the Queen and Prince Philip now leading by example, vaccination superhubs will open offering four jabs a minute.

We are now jabbing more people than any country on the Continent.

The beginnings of herd immunity in some areas and the rollout today of quick turnaround workplace testing means we can see the sunny uplands of hope coming in Spring and Summer.

What better way to reward those amazing Sun readers who have joined our Jabs Army than to give them the protection their noble sacrifice deserves?

Sign up today.

Megnanimous

THERE will be no greater image of the country getting back on its feet than the Royal Family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s 95th birthday.

With remarkable magnanimity she has even invited Harry and Meghan.