An estimated 3% of the UK workforce was off work in late December while a fifth of businesses reported increased cancellations over the past month amid the surge in the Omicron variant, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).The number-crunchers reported that 21% of firms had seen a rise in cancellations, with nearly half (44%) of businesses in the accommodation and food services sector being hit.
The run-up to Christmas was dominated by jitters over the impact of the latest COVID variant – with England ultimately alone in holding back from imposing tougher measures on pubs and restaurants despite surging case numbers.Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world
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