Yesterday, France became the latest country in Europe to establish a 5-day period of isolation for people with Covid. This was as a result of growing pressure on UK ministers.
French authorities have reduced the period of isolation for double-vaccinated individuals to five days. They also produce negative tests.
The incident occurred as violent anti-lockdown demonstrations in Amsterdam escalated. Officers trying to break up a march were able to force demonstrators into submission by hitting them with batons and mauling them with police dogs.
While England’s quarantine rules remain in place – negative tests on days six and seven mean you can leave the house – the number of NHS staff off sick or isolating continues to rocket.
Yesterday, France became the latest country in Europe to establish a 5-day period of isolation for people with Covid. This was as a result of growing pressure on UK ministers.
The number of NHS workers who have stayed at home in recent times for Covid reasons has more than doubled.
NHS England data show that 12,240 NHS England employees were unaccounted for due to Covid illness or self-isolation on December 12th.
Two weeks later, on December 26, this had doubled to 24,632, and by New Year’s Eve it had doubled again to almost 50,000 – accounting for nearly half of all staff absences, The Sunday Times reported.
Chris Hopson, chairman of NHS Providers, said staff absences were having a greater impact than during last January’s Covid wave.
He tweeted: ‘Staff flat out, especially given level of staff absences. If hospital Covids continue to increase, we will have to request them to do flexible heroics once again. We can’t keep doing this.’
America, Greece, and France were the first countries to reduce the isolation time.
The incident occurred as violent anti-lockdown demonstrations in Amsterdam escalated. Yesterday’s marchers were attacked by police dogs, and batons were used to hit them with their batons.
Professor Tim Spector, who leads the Zoe Covid Study at King’s College London, has described the five-day period as ‘sensible’ as long as the individual has had two negative lateral flow tests.
‘A reduction in isolation days would help many frontline services by allowing low-risk staff to go into work and avoid people staying home unnecessarily,’ Professor Spector said.
The UK Health Security Agency stated that allowing patients to cease isolating for five days following the onset of Covid symptoms can spread the virus and make it more difficult for NHS staff shortages.
The report stated that 10 to 30% of infected people could still become infectious five days later, as opposed with 5% under the seven day rule.
Ed Argar, Health Minister, stated that the Government has not received any scientific advice regarding the lengthening of the isolation period.