The XEC Covid strain was first detected in Germany in June and has been identified in 15 countries across three continents.

A new Covid-19 strain will see a surge in infections this winter flu season as experts warn the sub-variant could make Australians ‘very sick’.

UKHSA bosses admit they don’t know if the mutated strain is more infectious or deadlier. Yet top scientists remain confident that the darkest days of the pandemic-era are over.

DR AHSAN: if you want to spend winter without an irritating cough rattling through your chest day and night or that gnawing whole body ache, where even your hair hurts – then wear a mask.

Around 20million people in England are eligible for the Covid top-up jab this year, including the over-65s, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions.

Starting today residents at around 3,500 care home sites, staff and housebound people will start to be given another jab. Millions of other Brits will begin to be invited by the NHS from next week.

Covid infection rates in Britain are already starting to shoot up. But what do experts predict will happen over winter? How deadly is the new variant? And can we expect to enter another lockdown?