The number of healthcare staff of sick in London, the epicentre of the Omicron wave, reached 3,874 last week which more than three times the number off in the week of 12 December.
Levels of NHS staff off sick reached 18,829 last week, up by 50 per cent compared to the week prior, new NHS data has revealed.
The capital saw the biggest increase in staff off sick, with the South East and the East of England recording a 61 per cent and per cent increase respectively.
However in terms of total number off sick the Midlands followed London closely with 3,855 staff off sick.
The news comes amid increasing concerns over the level of staff predicted to be off sick in the next month with most hospitals in England forecasting more than 30 per cent of staff could be off sick in January as Omicron infections rip through the population.
Weekly data published by the NHS on Thursday also showed as of 19 December, more than 15,000 patients were stuck in hospital beds who no longer needed to be there.
‘Anti-5G’ necklaces claiming to ‘protect’ people from mobile networks found to be radioactive
“Anti-5G” pendants and accessories have been found to be radioactive.
The Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radio Protection (ANVS) has issued a warning that products claiming to “protect” people from 5G are emitting “ionizing radiation”.
The ANVS urged people to stop wearing the products and to store them away safely until instructions on how to return them are issued.
There is no scientific evidence that 5G mobile networks are harmful to health.
The World Health Organization says 5G mobile networks are safe, and there are no fundamental differences between 5G and existing 3G and 4G signals.
The ANVS identified nine so-called “anti-5G” products, including a sleep mask, a “Quantum Pendant”, and a children’s bracelet.
Dutch law prohibits the sale of these products, and any attempt to do so violates the Nuclear Energy Act.
“Don’t wear it any more, put it away safely and wait for the return instructions,” the ANVS said in a statement.
“The sellers in the Netherlands known to the ANVS have been told that the sale is prohibited and must be stopped immediately, and that they must inform their customers about this.”
Conspiracy theories have created a market for the sale of “anti-5g” devices, despite no evidence that 5G poses a public health risk. These conspiracy theories have been particularly prominent during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The UK’s Trading Standards sought to halt sales of a £339 “5GBioShield” in May 2020, which they identified as no more than a basic USB drive.
