Number of Yorkshire NHS staff off work due to Covid-19 falls by a third in the space of a week

The latest NHS figures show there were 5,430 Covid-related staff absences in the region on Sunday, January 16, down from 8,125 the previous week.

In Yorkshire, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had the highest number of staff off (761) on January 16, but that is down from 1,071 the previous week.

Across England, the number of staff off due to Covid dropped by almost 40 per cent over a week, from 49,011 to 29,517.

Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director of the NHS, said: “Even though the numbers are going in the right direction, NHS staff will have many tough months ahead as they continue to deliver patient care while managing competing demands.

“While staff absences remain high and continue to increase in some parts of the country, it is good to see they have been reducing week on week.

He added: “The number of people in hospital for both Covid and non-Covid care remains high, and arrivals at A&E via ambulance increased by more than 2,000.”

The latest figures show 14,661 Covid patients were admitted to hospitals in the UK in the week ending on January 16, and a total of 18,494 were in hospital with the virus on Wednesday.

It comes after the Government announced Plan B restrictions, designed to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, will be dropped on January 27.

That means the work from home advice will no longer apply and face masks will not be mandatory in shops, restaurants and other venues.