NHS staff absences due to coronavirus are at their highest level since the pandemic began in 2020, according to the latest official statistics.
In the week to January 11 around 50,200 staff were off work due to covid -related issues, after testing positive or having to self-isolate due to a close contact contracting the deadly virus.
The latest figures are the second highest since the pandemic, with April 2020 being the worst time for people bring off work in the health service.
More than 65,000 people were absent from work in the NHS during the first week of April 2020. It comes as pressure mounts on the Scottish Government to follow England in reducing the self-isolation period from seven to five days.The UK Government took the decision in a bid to prevent mass absences from the health service while the country battles the Omicron wave. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here. Police have said they are not yet investigating the Downing Street garden party during the first lockdown - despite Boris Johnson admitting he attended.Scotland Yard have said they will wait until a Cabinet Office inquiry has concluded before deciding whether to launch a criminal investigation into the BYOB event.The Metropolitan Police added that they do not normally investigate breaches of the coronavirus regulations when they are reported long after they allegedly took place.READ MORE: Police not yet investigating Downing Street lockdown party despite Boris Johnson confessionHello and welcome to the Daily Record's live coronavirus blog on Friday, January 14.Throughout the course of today we will bring you all the latest on the pandemic from Scotland and across the rest of the United Kingdom.New figures have revealed