Civil servants ordered back to office after Covid restrictions lifted in England

Unions warn against a rush back to workplaces as government departments told to return to full occupancy'

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Civil servants have been ordered to return to the office, with government departments told to rapidly get back to full occupancy" after the lifting of plan B Covid-19 restrictions in England.

But the announcement on Friday night sets up a clash between the government and unions, who have warned against a headlong rush" back to workplaces with coronavirus cases still high. Across the UK, 95,787 positive tests were reported on Friday.