Will omicron cause NHS IVF delays?

[friendlyBadger]

Is the omicron wave likely to cause delays to NHS IVF cycles? Are hospitals likely to redeploy staff from fertility to other teams? / Is staff sickness likely to cause delays? I know IVF cycles were delayed last March 2020 because HFEA shut down IVF but am confused about why cycles were delayed later in the year also.

I have my initial consultation at Chelsea Westminster hospital (NHS) coming up and they said that after that i can book a nurse's consultation and then the nurse will see where they can squeeze me in but that usually it isn't a very long wait. Just trying to figure out if it's worth going private to have more certainty of the start dates!

Thanks :)

If it helps at all, my clinic emailed to say they’re planning to do treatments as scheduled so hopefully that means no delays, of course they might get waylaid a bit by sicknesses but I’m hoping not too much.