London, Thanasis Gavos
The number of NHS public health workers in England who were absent from their post on December 30 rose to 87, while hospitalizations were rising due to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
According to the latest data, the absences in the first days of the new year continued to move at high levels, ie about 82,000.
Nearly 40,000 of these doctors, nurses and NHS board members were absent due to an omicron infection or due to symptoms or an obligation to isolate due to contact with a confirmed case.
This is a percentage of 44% of the total absences, which is double the corresponding 22% of the previous week that covered up to the Christmas weekend.
In absolute terms, the number of NHS staff absenteeism due to Omicron has more than tripled since early December and is at its highest level since January last year, when there was still no significant vaccination coverage.
According to preliminary data, on Wednesday the number of absences from the NHS had increased further to 120,000.
The president of the British Medical Association, Dr. Chad Nagpol, said he did not remember ever having had so many consecutive NHS absences.
Asked how close the NHS was to being paid, he referred to the decision to mobilize about 200 troops to help London hospitals, the declaration of a “crisis” by 24 NHS regional administrations in England, the cancellation of scheduled surgeries and appointments. “These are not normal, but they are the reality,” he commented.
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