Life could return to normal sooner than we think as Omicron helps bring an end to the pandemic, an expert has said.
As Omicron cases soar and fears rise over the impact on our NHS, Chief epidemiologist at Denmark's State Serum Institute Tyra Grove Krause expects the surge of cases of the newest variant to peak later this month.
She said a study has shown the risk of people being hospitalised from Omicron is half compared with the Delta variant, meaning the pandemic could be over in a couple of months as immunity rises, the Mirror reports.
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Ms Krause, answering a question on how long Omicron will have an influence on life in Denmark, told TV2 : "I think we will have that in the next two months, and then I hope the infection will start to subside and we get our normal lives back."
Covid has hit 'record numbers' in Liverpool but waves of new vaccinations are prompting optimism.
Cases in Liverpool continue to break records, with the rate of infection per 100,000 residents now at 1,640 - the highest at any point during the pandemic.
In the week up to December 28, there were 8,170 positive tests, an increase of 3,309 on the previous week and in Liverpool's main adult acute hospitals, the Royal Liverpool and Aintree, there were 158 covid patients as of December 28 - compared with 90 on December 19.
The UK Government previously decided against introducing tougher measures before the New Year despite the number of positive cases reaching record highs.
However Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the NHS faces a 'tough January'.
MPs are due to return to the Commons on Wednesday following the Christmas recess and Cabinet is due to meet the same day to review the latest covid data.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu, Director-General of the World Health Organization, struck a hopeful note in a New Year message as the coronavirus crisis goes into its third year.
He said he was "confident" this will be the year the pandemic ends, but warned against "narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding".
He added that millions of lives have been saved by vaccines, adding medics now have new drugs to prevent and treat Covid-19.
In a statement, he said: "If we end inequity, we end the pandemic. In turn we save lives, we relieve the burden on stretched health systems and give respite to the legions of health workers who have toiled tirelessly and sacrificed so much for two years.
"Through the ACT-Accelerator, which includes COVAX, WHO and our partners are helping to make vaccines, tests and treatments accessible to people who need them, all over the world.
"As we enter the third year of this pandemic, I’m confident this will be the year we end it, but only if we do it together."
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