"Endemicity" is not a word that rolls off the vernacular tongue. Still, its new prominence in the halls of governments around the world is a huge ray of hope. It means that governments have at long last begun to regard the pathogen as potentially a manageable part of our world. 

The word endemic is a contrast to pandemic. A new virus of the sort we've been through moves from the pandemic stage to a manageable stage – and so it has been for all of history. And by manageable, epidemiologists do not mean: does not exist. It means it is dealt with through therapeutics, natural immunity, and vaccine-related immunity. 

A survey of scientists from February 2021 showed plainly that 90% agree that this is the fate of Covid-19. It takes a natural course and then becomes part of our world, in a well-documented pattern that has repeated countless times and will repeat again. In short, we will learn to live with the pathogen, and enjoy our usual expectations of freedoms and human rights just as we used to. And this coexistence will continue forever. 

This is where so many governments are today, gradually opening up their societies and allowing citizens to regain rights and freedoms. The latest additions are Malaysia, Singapore, and India. Thanks to the appointment of Sajid Javid as health minister – his predecessor Matt Hancock having resigned in disgrace – the UK can now be added to the list.