As usual, Government late in announcing new Covid rules - Liberal Democrats called for working from home over a week ago

Eight days ago, the Liberal Democrats urged the government to bring back official guidance to work from home where possible, to help keep cases of the Omicron variant down ahead of Christmas. As usual, the Government has waited as new variant cases rise aboove 50,000 a day before acting.

The government's SAGE committee has previously said that working from home would have the biggest individual impact on reducing transmission of the virus, but ministers ruled it out until late yesterday.

It comes as head of the UK Health Security Agency Jenny Harries suggested working from home could be introduced if there is a surge in cases of the new variant, but for now called instead on people to reduce their social contacts this winter.

Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: " Everything we know about this virus suggests it's better to be cautious and act early.

"Ministers should have listened to their own scientific advice sooner, which found working from home would have the single biggest impact on reducing Covid cases. This could buy us precious extra time while our scientists find out more about the potential impact of this new worrying variant."

The SAGE advice on the impact of working from home can be found here (point 26): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1027514/S1381_SAGE_96_minutes.pdf

Following reports that the NHS Covid pass app has already crashed following the announcement at the same time that the government will introduce Covid passports from next week, Liberal Democrat Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:

"The government's Covid ID cards plans have already descended into a shambles on the same day they were announced.

"This chaos is leaving people unable to access the Covid pass app, just days before they will need to start using it to attend events. Ministers must fix this mess now before people are shut out of events simply because the government's app doesn't work.

"The Conservatives may be able to organise a party in Number 10, but they can't roll out Covid ID cards without them crashing."