UK minister backs reduced COVID isolation period, to ease workforce pressures

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi arrives on Downing Street, in London, Britain September 17, 2021. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - Reducing the self-isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19 from seven days to five would help British workforces that have been hard hit by absences, education minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Sunday.

The Omicron variant is still spreading in Britain and many businesses, schools and hospitals are struggling with staff shortages, fuelling calls for the rules on isolation after a positive test to be reduced further.