Is There a Chance of an Autumn Winter Wave?

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Vaccines are being developed which have a broader spectrum of immunitis. This will provide immunity to a wider age of different potential variants. That's clearly our first line of defence against this varus. Whether or not we ever get back to a stage where a government has to central intervention, i think is questionable.

The UK is yet again facing a wave of Covid infections, with cases soaring by more than half a million in a week at the end of June. This time, the wave is driven by even more transmissible variants of Omicron known as BA.4 and BA.5. But with all Covid precautions gone, and many of us heading to bars, pubs, festivals and sporting events as the summer rolls on, is it much of a surprise? Ian Sample asks Prof Graham Medley if infections will translate into hospitalisations and deaths, and whether we can expect ongoing cycles of Covid waves in the months and years to come. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod