A nurse administers the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in southern England. EPA
A nurse administers the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in southern England. EPA
A nurse administers the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in southern England. EPA
A nurse administers the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in southern England. EPA

Healthcare workers in England could skip isolation orders


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Frontline health and social care workers in England may be able to continue working even if they are exposed to someone with Covid-19, the government said on Monday.

UK ministers are seeking to ease pressure on the health service caused by rising infections.

Cases of Covid-19 are surging in Britain, causing hundreds of thousands of workers to be told they must spend 10 days at home because they have been identified as a close contact of an infected person.

That has caused staff shortages in schools, businesses and the healthcare system.

To ease the burden on health care, where the rise in cases is causing increased workload, the government announced an exemption for fully vaccinated staff in exceptional circumstances.

The new rules will apply to staff whose absence would cause a significant risk of harm.

Those considered eligible will need to test negative for the virus and take daily tests throughout the period for which they would otherwise have been required to isolate.

"As we learn to live with this virus it's important that we ensure frontline staff can keep providing the best possible care and support to people up and down the country," said Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who is in isolation after testing positive on Saturday.

England is due to lift almost all coronavirus restrictions on Monday to help restart the economy.

But the UK government has warned that while vaccines have reduced death and hospital treatment rates, new infections could rise to record levels of 100,000 cases a day.

Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make their own policy.

Find the right policy for you

Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.

Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.

Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.

Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.

If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.

Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.

Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1

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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

Updated: July 19, 2021, 12:02 AM`