LONDON, U.K. -- It鈥檚 back-to-work day!

Well, at least it is in England. The other three nations of the United Kingdom鈥擶ales, Scotland and Northern Ireland鈥攁re having none of it. They鈥檙e staying home.

Consequently, English buses, trains and the London Underground all reported a swell in passengers this morning, even though Boris Johnson warned people not to take public transport.

Wait a minute. This bears repeating: How then did he expect millions of people to make it to work on Back-to-Work Wednesday?

By using, 鈥済ood, solid, British common sense,鈥 he told the House of Commons. And if that doesn鈥檛 work, 鈥渄rive, or better still, walk or cycle.鈥

He forgot hitchhiking.

He also warned people to cover their faces on the public transport they weren鈥檛 supposed to take. And to keep their distance from each other. On a crowded bus.

Johnson is also keen to get the British parliament up and running again, with MPs taking their seats in the House of Commons. Leading by example.

Have you ever noticed how crowded it is in there? Imagine what one infectious cough could do.

Perhaps this is the moment for a little numbers update. As of today, the U.K. had recorded 33,186 COVID-19 deaths鈥攖he highest in Europe.

You may remember when the country鈥檚 top medical and scientific experts said the U.K. would do well if it could keep the number of deaths down to 20,000?

I do, and it seems so long ago.

So, here鈥檚 a more cheerful story.

It appears the Archbishop of Canterbury has been going 鈥渦ndercover鈥 to visit the sick and dying.

That would be The Most Reverend, Justin Welby, leader of the Church of England, and all Anglicans around the world.

By the way, the first Archbishop was sent out from Rome in 597 as the 鈥淎postle to the English.鈥 Reformation and King Henry VIII put and end to that.

It seems the current Most Reverend鈥攏umber 105, by the way鈥攈as been quietly slipping into St. Thomas鈥 Hospital and volunteering as a chaplain. That鈥檚 the same hospital where Boris Johnson was treated and almost died.

It鈥檚 easy for the Archbishop to get there, since he just lives across the road in Lambeth Palace. He walks.

The timing is interesting, because (The Most) Reverend Welby has taken something of a beating lately in the British press. Specifically: for failing to offer 鈥渕oral leadership鈥 at this time of grave national crisis.

Imagine an Italian newspaper saying that about the Pope.

The Times of London was the harshest.

Now we know what The Most Reverend has been doing with his time: praying at the bedside of the COVID-19 sick and dying.

That is humble and risky, for one of the highest-ranking figures in England.

And in case you were wondering, yes, he was wearing personal protective equipment over his clerical shirt and 鈥渄og collar.鈥 .