As nations come out of lock down, the country's recovery depends on the reopening of the economy and employment; hence, occupational health and safety is vitally important. In the emergency phase of Covid, key objectives for government were to save lives and to protect the National Health Service (NHS). One measure taken was strict isolation for those considered susceptible to severe illness. The very general initial definitions for this group posed some threat of reducing NHS manpower resource at the time of greatest potential need. It was quickly realized that there was the potential for more detailed risk assessment allowing some healthcare workers to continue to carry out vital, if modified, roles, and what was needed was a single, consistent, workforce endorsed and government promulgated process. It is to the Scottish Government's credit that such a process was issued for NHS Scotland [1] before the end of March.
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