Without tougher restrictions, experts project 25,000-75,000 Covid deaths in England within five months

The most pessimistic scenario looked at by the modellers projects a wave of infection which is likely to lead to a peak in hospital admissions around twice as high as the peak seen in January 2021, if no additional control measures are taken.

A wave of infection is projected which could lead to a peak of more than 2,000 daily hospital admissions (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Tougher Covid restrictions may be needed to prevent Omicron causing anywhere between 25,000 to 75,000 deaths in England over the next five months, according to scientists advising the UK government.

Experts from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), who also sit on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) or the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), used experimental data to look at how Omicron may transmit as the country heads into 2022.