The Irish Times reports that the number of health staff off work for Covid-related issues surged to almost five times its summer level in recent weeks according to internal HSE documents.

The Journal reports that the Tánaiste's department is set to spend up to €60,000 on a project to get the most out of its staff while home working. The Department of Business has said that remote working for its staff will likely become a “permanent feature” of how it operates into the future.

As we brace ourselves for the outcome of tomorrow's US elections, Maureen Dowd and Suzanne Lynch provide coverage of the final days of the campaigns, while the Guardian provides a report on Trump's approach to the counting of votes tomorrow night. We might be on for a long week.

Your moment of Zen this morning comes from Sheriff Street, and the winner of Dublin's best Hallowe'en costume this year.

Have a good week.

Niall