The omicron COVID-19 variant will stage a comeback over winter in a population whose defences against the virus have begun to wane, said Jodie McVernon, the head of epidemiology at the Doherty Institute, a Melbourne research centre that helped lead Australia’s pandemic response.

Professor McVernon said new variants of the coronavirus were likely to emerge and influenza, which had almost been eliminated in Australia, would begin recirculating through the society, triggering sickness that will force workers away from the office.