Crunch time A bleak New Year – or the beginning of the end?

Once again, many parts of the world have experienced a holiday season hit by waves of Covid-19 infections. Last year, it was the appearance of the Alpha variant. This time, it is Omicron that has sent case numbers soaring.

Fears have been raised that, in the northern hemisphere at least, this represents the shape of Christmases to come. Social restrictions and lockdown threats could