The family gatherings have ended. Evidence that the rate of increase in cases may be slowing has led to speculation that London may be close to reaching "peak Omicron".
Boris Johnson is said to be obsessed with the hypothetical time point, seeing it as crucial to how the Covid variant will play out nationwide. The prime minister's decision not to impose restrictions before the holiday period may be vindicated if hospitalisations follow the same trajectory.
peak Omicron will be an important moment. It is important when cases peak in the over-50s, because it is likely that a week later we will see a peak in hospitalisations and deaths. Dr Raghib Ali, a senior clinical research associate at the University of Cambridge, said that it helps to plan ahead.
