HUNDREDS of workers in the Tendring district went to the office despite the new guidance on home-working.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced new coronavirus restrictions following the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, including guidance on working from home from December 13.

But the most recent figures show activity in workplaces in the Tendring district in the working week to December 17 was only 23 per cent lower than during a five-week baseline period recorded before the pandemic.

The figures were estimated using Google location from phones and other personal devices to track trends in people’s movement in different areas of their lives, including where they work.

Additional data also suggests activity in workplaces across the UK was almost 30 per cent below normal in the most recent week’s data.

A spokesman for the Confederation Of British Industry said: “Some economic activity is displaced to local areas, but it also leaves our town and city centres under real strain for retailers and hospitality.

“With the push for a booster roll-out by the end of the year, the Government should use the January 5 review to identify a new regime drawing on testing, Covid-secure workplaces and antivirals, to outline its intention for ending the push to work from home.”