A higher bar for isolation

[Milo]

The issue with omicron isn't entirely that it's going to kill loads of people but that it will lead to the NHS being swamped which will end up failing to save the lives of lots of people. Long-term the only way I can see normality being resumed is a large increase in the reserve capacity of the NHS to be able to cope.

In the meantime, one reason for the NHS being swamped is that so many staff are having to isolate because of positive covid tests. Many of these will also be too sick to work but many will be basically fine but infectious.

I wonder if we may be at the point where it's less risky for these people to return to work, perhaps with additional precautions, than to keep isolating. This would help relieve some of the pressure and mitigate the dangers from staff being unable to attend to heart attacks and similar.

Might be totally unworkable, but would welcome any insights from people in the know.

[flotemysost]

My flatmate (who works in a hospital) happened to get covid coinciding with the rules changing so you could stop isolating if you tested negative after seven days, and so was able to go back to work a bit earlier than expected. So that'll make a bit of a difference, hopefully, but it's definitely a worry.

Come on Captain Tom, sort it attt