HEATHER HALLETT

Public health officials expect omicron to become the dominant variant across the U.K. within days. The U.K. recorded 78,610 new infections on Wednesday, 16% higher than the previous record set in January. Public health officials credit widespread vaccination with weakening the link between COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Meanwhile, Britain is moving forward with a public inquiry into how the government has responded to the pandemic. “With the omicron variant upon us, the inquiry really cannot come soon enough.”Hallett said she would be consulting bereaved families and others on the inquiry’s terms of reference.

The U.K. recorded the highest number of confirmed new COVID-19 infections Wednesday since the pandemic began, and England’s chief medical officer warned the situation is likely to get worse as the omicron variant drives a new wave of illness during the Christmas holidays.

A coroner presiding over an inquest into the death of British woman who was poisoned by a Soviet-developed nerve agent wants the probe to be turned into a public inquiry so she can examine Russia’s possible involvement.