The omicron wave should finally put paid to the perfervid fantasy, a staple of center-left thinking, that the coronavirus is somehow primarily a red state phenomenon, fueled by Republican recklessness and heartlessness.

Sometime in the future, we will know how it developed, what it did, and how it was ultimately defeated. Until then, we should all make the best decisions we can, and try to ensure that societal response to the coronavirus is not worse than the virus itself.

There is a better way to approach this than to make test kits available to everyone, because not everyone needs or wants them. As with the initial rollout of vaccines, make the kits available first to the most vulnerable. Their names are on a list. That list is called Medicare. Allow older people and those with underlying health conditions to go to the head of the line.

Yes, they will have to deal with new strains on hospitals and their workers. But they will be sending the wrong message if they let the unvaccinated spoil another year for those who’ve done the right things. For most of us, Omicron remains a concern but not a good reason to dim the lights this holiday season.

Simply become more thoughtful. Not conspiracy laden in the face of tragedy, not pitched toward a narrative that favors a political team. But simply seek to be informed with the most accurate information available at the time and remain open to the reality that this too, could shift.

Her grace expressed appreciation for the meal and recognized the value of everyone — “us” and “them.” May God bless those at the table, family elsewhere, but ultimately all human beings.