Omicron could cause 75,000 deaths in UK by April-end, warns study

The Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus could cause between 25,000 and 75,000 deaths in the United Kingdom by April next year, if additional protection measures are not taken, a new study has warned.

The study conducted by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and South Africa’s Stellenbosch University states that in the most optimistic scenario, involving low immune escape and high booster dose efficacy, the hospitalisation rate is likely to rise to 60 per cent of the peak that the UK saw in January this year.

Meanwhile the Boris Johnson govt will open up Covid booster vaccines for everyone aged 30 and over in England from Monday, as one of the key actions aimed at tackling the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

There are around 7.5 million people aged 30 to 39, and 3.5 million of those are eligible for boosters from Monday, NHS England said. It comes as early analysis shows booster jabs being effective against the Omicron variant, the first cases of which have started being hospitalised now.

There is no reported death from the variant in the UK yet, but experts warn that it is set to take over from Delta as the dominant coronavirus variant by the end of this year.