MANDATORY working from home and the reintroduction of furlough could be needed in the coming weeks, unions have warned, as ministers in Scotland admitted further Covid-19 restrictions are inevitable as the omicron variant continues to spread. 

The Scottish government is expected to confirm further rules and limitations on social gatherings on Tuesday in the face of the rapidly spreading variant of coronavirus. 

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has admitted such a move is inevitable, adding that patients waiting for operations could face longer delays as medical staff are redeployed to help deliver booster vaccines.