
Nearly one in 10 NHS workers were off sick over New Year’s Eve as coronavirus continued to hit the health service, official figures reveal.
More than 110,000 of the service’s 983,000 staff in England missed the turn of the year due to illness, its dashboard shows. Nearly 50,000 of those employees had tested positive for Covid-19 and were forced to self-isolate.
This figure is higher than the number of people who were sick on Boxing Day when less than 25,000 were affected by the virus.
Meanwhile patients faced 40-hour waits at A&E, delayed operations and long waits for ambulances as the health service creaked.
A boss at the NHS warned that there will be more restrictions in place if hospitals continue to rise.
According to the chief executive at NHS Providers, “the next few days will be crucial” and that there was a greater pressure on NHS Providers than last year.
This comes at a time when the Omicron variant continues its havoc throughout the country, as infections continue rising and forcing people to take refuge for one week.
Yesterday’s breach of 160,000 Covid cases by England was the second in succession, while ministers continued to avoid applying new restrictions.
Coronavirus chaos continues elsewhere in today’s coronavirus chaos:
- Ministers rejected the call to shorten coronavirus patients’ isolation time from 7 to 5 days to minimize their risk.
- Bosses warn NHS trusts that they could cancel operations next week if Covid hospitalisations increase;
- Omicron has been used to treat more black patients than any other race.
- Secondary school pupils are required to have facemasks on from the moment they arrive at school until they leave.
- An Israeli pregnant woman is the first to contract the virus Covid.

Hospital chiefs warned that NHS trusts may have to cancel operations next week in the event of Covid hospitalizations rising significantly. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days – and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on Christmas Day)



For all NHS employees, the 110,000 number for NHS staff who were off on New Year’s Eve was accurate. According to the NHS dashboard, 86 716 people had been diagnosed with acute illnesses by December 31, which is a jump of 27%.
49% of these were absent for coronavirus reasons. This was an increase of 62% in five days. There were 19,143 midwives, 2,120 doctors and nurses.
This was a huge leap on Boxing Day, when Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid.
Last week, Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical Director, spoke of the NHS on a “war footing”, a term that has been repeated many times by broadcasters.
However, while the numbers of Covid cases increased by twofold in the lead-up to Christmas and the prevalence of the virus is still low among hospital staff, it has not prevented the spread of the disease from reaching a significant proportion.
Data from NHS England shows that 12508 English staff members were absent on December 1, due to Covid-19.
Boxing Day was the most recent day that figures were available. It had nearly doubled to 24,632.
But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce – or one in 40 – were off due to Covid towards the end of the month.
The absences due to non-Covid illnesses actually decreased over that same period: from 47.628 on December 1, to 43.450 on Boxing Day.
As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December – from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26.
As a result, approximately 93% percent of the hospital staff were healthy and fit at Christmas. The situation is different between the 138 NHS trusts in England.
Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day – Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent).
They all had Covid-related absents that were higher than average.
Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day – Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent).
On December 26, nine of them reported Covid-related absences of less that one percent of their employees.

According to official statistics, only 1 in 40 NHS staff members were unable or unwilling to work as a result of Covid last month. Official figures indicate that the Covid-related deaths increased by twofold in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but only a fraction of the hospital staff have been unable to work because of the virus. (File image)

Chris Hopson, Chief Executive at NHS Providers warned that more restrictions might be required soon in order to reduce the number of patients who end up in hospitals.
He stated that if more people flood in, there will already be ‘flat out” staff who are being asked to perform ‘flexible heroics again.
Twitter post by him: “NHS under new, perhaps more pressure than last Jan. Busier emergency and urgent care pathways.
There are many more care plans that can’t be put off without risk to patients. Booster vaccine campaigns significantly more difficult/resource-intensive.
Many trusts are experiencing greater staff absences. Much greater pressure on social & primary care.
This is a huge impact. NHS – community, mental health, ambulances and hospitals alike – and social care beyond full stretch. Every day, staff face a mountainous work load.
He said, “If growth rates rise again (e.g. Xmas effect), trusts will likely have to begin putting up additional surge capacity by next week.
‘Putting pressure upon less urgent elective action. Trusts will make every effort to continue with high priority and urgent elective activity.
He said that the NHS had not been able grow its capacity to keep up with growing demands. To close the gap, had to ask staff to work more, making it impossible for them to provide care that patients require. The successive Governments have failed to fix the growing problem of social care.
“These are major contributing factors to current problems, and they need to be addressed long-term. Secondly, the NHS is facing an immediate crisis that it must prepare for.
He stated that Choice could lead to patients being left untreated, or extra capacity.


The Covid cases of England infringed on 160,000 yesterday. Data shows that ministers have continued to avoid applying new restrictions.
UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880.
It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded on Friday.
Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week.
Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated.
The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year’s Eve.
Thousands came from Scotland where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed.
Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron.
Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases on Friday and 203 deaths.
The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record.
But in a fresh boost for the nation’s businesses, Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions remain unlikely as he implored the nation to ‘try to live’ alongside the virus.
Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks all day when they return this week – as PM says keeping classrooms open is his number one priority in the face of Omicron and testing chaos
- Students will have to wear masks in all communal areas – including classrooms
- Ministers are bringing in the rules because of the threat posed by Omicron
- The rule will not be law although schools will be expected to follow the guidance
- Ministers are braced for a ‘big bang’ when pupils are tested returning to school
Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week.
In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day – including while they are being taught.
Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their ‘No 1 priority’, adding that they wanted to ‘do everything in our power to minimise disruption’.

School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government
The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff.
The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they ‘will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be’, and adding: ‘It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.’
Ministers are braced for a ‘big bang’ of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week.
A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils.
In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out.
‘As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,’ the source said. ‘But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.’
Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns.
Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: ‘Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children’s lives.’
As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections.

Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their ‘No 1 priority’, adding that they wanted to ‘do everything in our power to minimise disruption’
The moves came as:
- A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths;
- Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious;
- The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week;
- Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was ‘astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers’;
- The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers ‘must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they’re needed’;
- As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December;
- MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone;
- Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year;
- One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains;
- As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts.
Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government’s move on masks.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: ‘Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.’
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was ‘overdue’ and urged Ministers to make it a ‘requirement’.
No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the ‘bubble’ system which saw entire classes – and sometimes years – sent home if a single pupil tested positive.
‘That’s all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,’ the source said.
Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom.
A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up.

Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government’s move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: ‘Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a ‘big bang’ of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26
Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done.
‘Remote learning should not be on the table… It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,’ he said.
Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be ‘constructive’.
His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on ‘rare’ occasions.
Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: ‘If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.’
Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: ‘This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice.
‘The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.’
Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US’ lead because up to 30% of sufferers ‘would still be infectious’
By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday
Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious.
Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days.
But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early.

Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week

Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services
It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy – and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs).
As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron.
Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available.
Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs – the first on day six and the second on day seven.
Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: ‘The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn’t thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.’
The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would ‘ensure people can safely continue their daily lives’.
To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days.
In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron’s relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. ‘The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,’ he said.
Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five.
The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests.
Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand.

Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home
Last night, Labour’s health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to ‘pull his finger out’ to ensure people had access to the tests.
He added: ‘Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this.
‘Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can’t do that, because Ministers haven’t got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.’
Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs.
When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand.
Mr Streeting said: ‘The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses.
‘But I think it’s more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn’t ordered enough tests, and doesn’t want to ‘fess up about it.’
Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week.
With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains.
More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules.
Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely – while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border
- UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England
- Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week
- Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated
England’s Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions.
UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880.
It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday.
Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week.
Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated.
The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year’s Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland – where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed.
Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months.
Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths.
The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record.
But in a fresh boost for the nation’s businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to ‘try to live’ alongside the virus.
However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them.
One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would ‘spread further infection around Scotland’.

The UK Health Security Agency has revealed that 162,572 people contracted new infections within the last 24 hours. That’s 33% higher than what was recorded for Christmas Day, when the figure was 121 880. Sajid Javid Health Secretary, shown pictured, suggested there wouldn’t be any new restrictions on England. However, he stated that Britons would have to adjust to the fact they live with Covid.
Photographs taken in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Bristol showed how many people fled to Newcastle. However, Bristol bars and clubs were crowded with Welsh residents.
The Merchant City was bustling with bars and restaurants, but empty chairs could be seen stacked up in front of the shops along Glasgow’s iconic Royal Mile.
Around 1,000 pilgrims made their annual trek up Calton Hill, Edinburgh to catch the midnight hour. They were met by an anonymous piper.
Pubs were crowded with revellers in Newcastle. There was even a group of Scottish “Covid Refugees” who claimed to be fed up by the strict rules in Scotland.
Jamie, Josh Urquart and Dean Heggie joined Campbell McLean, Jamie, Campbell McLean, Campbell McLean, and Campbell McLean to kick off yesterday’s celebrations in a pub next to a Saltire.
Alex Cairns (18 and Dylan Neill 18) had travelled from Fife to meet a few friends. They were arriving at their hotel at noon in the centre of Fife.
Dylan, a college student said that he couldn’t leave his home country so he came to Newcastle to enjoy a night out. It’s something completely different.
These restrictions are not good for New Year’s Eve. We might have found ourselves sitting in someone’s home if we had stayed in Scotland. We’re now able to leave the house and go on our own.
Alex, who is also going to college, felt discouraged by local restrictions that prevented him and his friends hitting the streets of the town.
He declared, “We are fed up with rules at the local.” It would make Newcastle mad if these rules were still in effect.
“We are going to Tup Tup’s nightclub later, but we don’t know where.” Some have been there before, while others have never. It’s a pleasure to go out.
Unnamed third friend said that she was fed up with Nicola Sturgeon imposing these restrictions. We’re glad to be here in Newcastle, where we can have fun and go out.
One Scot was worried about revellers bringing Covid-19 with them to Scotland. He said that this could lead to ‘bringing more infection back to Scotland. “We all know that there may be another version of the virus,” they added.
Some people from England complained that Scots were coming to Scotland in large numbers. One person said that they’d be “having an early sleep” while Scots were “spreading covid throughout my area”. Another stated that they did not think of people with the virus.