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A second wave of coronavirus may not hit the UK until spring 2021 with a cold winter likely to impose its own 'mini-quarantine', a scientist has warned.

A cold snap could keep people indoors and get them to wear 'natural' PPE in the form of scarves and gloves, driving down transmission rates.

Coronaviruses, unlike the influenza virus, are also not strictly seasonal - being more likely to peak in the spring than icy winter months.
 
It comes as the UK recorded 2,988 cases of Covid-19 yesterday, the highest daily increase since May 23 - 15 weeks ago. Deaths remained low, however, with a further two people dying from the disease.

Scientists maintain that Britain is not yet entering a second wave and that it is unlikely to ever see another one like what happened in April and May. 

Dr Ben Neuman, an associate professor at the University of Reading, made the predictions and said people should keep an eye out for other sources of the virus.

He said: 'Instead, look for changes in behaviour that lead to mixing of people from different households, especially where masks would not be worn, as a potential source of Covid-19 - school reopenings, dinner parties and restaurants.'

He added that the percentage rate of positive tests may also become an inaccurate method for measuring Britain's pandemic.

'Paradoxically, an influx of people with the flu seeking Covid-19 tests could potentially drive down the percentage of positive tests, which would then misleadingly suggest that Covid-19 was decreasing.

'That is one reason why percent positive rates should not be taken in isolation to monitor the pandemic.'

He said there would be far more data this year than any other and that drawing conclusions at this time would be speculative.