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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Abbie Meehan

Nicola Sturgeon confirms date office working can resume as restrictions ease

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that a phased return to the office can be implemented from Monday, January 31, as Omicron cases continue to decline in Scotland.

As of January 25, 8,022 positive cases were reported in Scotland, through PCR and lateral flow tests.

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1,392 people are in hospital with Covid - 43 fewer than yesterday.49 people are in intensive care - 4 fewer than yesterday.

And as of the death toll, a further 23 deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 10,222.

Due to the decline of cases in Scotland, the First Minister has confirmed that employers who have workers home-based, should be implementing a phased return to the office - meaning spending some days in office, and some from home.

In her speech on Tuesday, the First Minister said: "Firstly, as indicated last week, the current guidance on working from home - strengthened in response to Omicron - will be now be updated.

"Instead of recommending home working whenever practical, the new guidance will pave the way for a phased return to the office.

"It will recommend that, from Monday 31 January, employers should consider implementing hybrid working – following appropriate guidance - with workers spending some time in the office and some time at home.

"We would not expect to see a wholesale return to the office next week – indeed, given that the level of infection, though falling, remains high, a mass return at this stage is likely to set progress back.

"But we know there are many benefits to both employees and employers, and to the economy as a whole, in at least a partial return to the office at this stage.

"Indeed many businesses successfully implemented hybrid working last autumn.

"And so as part of a phased return to the office, we will again encourage employers to consider hybrid working, and look to them to determine how best to manage this transition in consultation with workers and trade unions."

This means that Scots who have spent two years working from home will be able to return to the office next month, as the restrictions are relaxed from Monday.

For more information on the latest coronavirus news, check it out here.

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