It is now five months since the Omicron variant was first detected in the UK – and although its impact was less severe than many initially feared, it’s estimated that more than 30 million people in England have been infected, with 200,000 hospitalised and even more suffering with long Covid across the UK, and over 20,000 deaths.
Behind these headline figures lies a more complicated reality, yielding important lessons about the impact of government-mandated restrictions that could help end disagreements between some scientists and help us deal with future waves.
