Prognosis
U.K. Faces Inevitable Surge in Hospital Cases From Omicron
- New Covid-19 strain moving at ‘phenomenal pace,’ Whitty says
- Stark assessment will fuel doubts over government’s strategy
This article is for subscribers only.
The “phenomenal pace” at which the new Covid-19 omicron strain is spreading across the U.K. will trigger a surge in hospital admissions over the holiday period, according to Boris Johnson’s top medical adviser.
“Substantial numbers” of people will be hospitalized and that will “become apparent soon after Christmas,” Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said at a televised press conference alongside the prime minister Wednesday.