A new coronavirus wave could kill tens of thousands across the UK by the end of the summer if restrictions are eased too quickly, an expert has warned.
With the government set to release its road map to lifting lockdown on February 22, Imperial College London's Professor Azra Ghani said it could spell disaster, despite the vaccine roll out.
The scientist said a new model designed by ICL called COVIDISM is predicting a major surge of deaths in the coming months if measures are dropped by July.
Prof Ghani said a more cautious approach with strict lockdown in place until September when most Brits have received a jab could save scores of lives.
Professor Ghani told ITV News : "My advice would be to be cautious... to open up slowly, because in the long term this will be the better way out of the pandemic."
She added: "The problem is that it is highly transmissible, we now have these new variants in place that we know are even more transmissible than previously, and not everybody will be vaccinated for various reasons.
"That can lead to subsequent epidemics if we just relaxed everything straight away."
Prof Ghani said the model predicts a "really rapid decline in deaths" if the current measures remain in place.
Boris Johnson yesterday warned Britain to be "optimistic but patient" amid reports schools could return by early next month, followed by an easing of one-to-one meet up rules.
The PM reiterated he did not want to have to put the country into another lockdown but said there were no guarantees.
The 15 million vaccinations target by mid-February set by Downing Street last month was hit a day early, but Mr Johnson refrained from celebrating too much.
He remains under growing pressure from his own party members as well as industry bosses to open up the country.
More than 60 Conservative MPs have demanded No10 lifts restrictions by the end of April in a letter last week.
Yesterday, the UK recorded its smallest rise in daily Covid deaths since October with 230 official fatalities - though Monday's figures are often lower due to a weekend lag.
