A rise in UK hospital admissions for patients with Covid-19 earlier this summer prompted health experts to warn that Britain was battling a fifth wave of coronavirus infections being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron, which has since passed but served as a timely reminder to stay vigilant.
Life has largely returned to normal since the final social restrictions were removed on 24 February, with masks, distancing and hand sanitiser largely forgotten by the majority as the national focus switched to Partygate, the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.
