Next winter could be even worse amid 'highly likely Covid surge,' Boris Johnson warns

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued an extraordinary warning of higher hospitalisations and deaths next winter if new Covid variants prove to be more transmissible – and crucially evade vaccines.

The warning came as the prime minister delayed the public inquiry into the government’s handling of the Covid crisis, until next spring.

The warning, which would seem to contradict Johnson’s own statement on Monday that the country will return “close to normal” next month, came despite the success of the UK’s vaccination rollout.