there's a whole world of difference between "busy because we are overrun with covid patients", which is the narrative they are trying to sell, and "busy because more than 40% of our staff are not actually at work and the rest can't keep up"

In talking to clinical chums they say in some hospitals up to 30% of staff are off due to asymptomatic +ive PCR tests, 13-15% are off on stress leave because they can't cope, and 6-8% did not want to work during the holidays. That could mean half of all staff at some sites

The staff issues were known at the end of November and were discussed in this BMJ news piece... and yet the media and govt still try to sell it as an influx of new covid patients - which is something that it isn't https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4376