The country is reporting a new record high of Covid cases, according to the latest data.
England has reported 162,572 new Covid cases along with a further 154 coronavirus-related deaths in the latest 24-hour period, say government figures.
The latest figures are an increase from 160,276 cases and 178 fatalities recorded in England yesterday, December 31.
The government figures also show there were 12,395 people in hospital with the virus in England on New Year's Eve - the highest number since 25 February last year, when there were 12,449 hospitalisations, it has been reported.
The UK reported 189,846 cases on New Year's Eve - a record total for all four nations in the pandemic.
A further 203 people died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.
The latest figures for England follows the health secretary said further Covid restrictions are an "absolute last resort" and that the UK will have to "live alongside" the virus in 2022.
Sajid Javid said the wave of Omicron infections will "test the limit of finite NHS capacity even more than a typical winter", with reports suggesting a return to the work from home order in England could come into force in January.
The record number of cases in recent days comes despite difficulties with lateral flow and PCR tests.
This week, the government website showed that there were no PCR tests available at all throughout England, met with warnings from leading scientists that the test shortage was a "great concern".
The health secretary added that the government will triple the supply of lateral flow tests to 300 million per month by February, but added that as current shortages persist "we expect to need to constrain the system at certain points over the next two weeks".
