Covid: More workers to avoid self-isolation as workplace testing expanded
More workers will be able to avoid self-isolation if they come into contact with a Covid case after the government expanded workplace testing in England.
Police, firefighters, border staff and transport workers were already exempt from self-isolation, but only if employers specified their names and they were double-jabbed against Covid.
Now a further 200 testing sites will be opened to roll out further daily contact testing, while the number of eligible sectors will be expanded.
This will allow eligible workers who are pinged by the NHS test and trace app to continue working if they test negative every day, regardless of their vaccination status.
“Daily testing will keep our frontline teams safe while they continue to serve the public and communities across our country,” said home secretary Priti Patel.
It comes after the government announced earlier this week that thousands of workers in the food industry would be able to avoid isolation through a new testing regime.
The move followed complaints from bosses in several sectors that the growing number of people being told to self-isolate was causing severe staff shortages.
Figures released this week show 618,903 were told to self-isolate by the app.
Some retailers have had to close stores as a result of the so-called pingdemic, but have said food shortages were not likely to persist.
The crisis has also prompted many businesses to call for the relaxation of quarantine rules to be brought forward.
Under current plans people who have had both doses of the vaccine will be able to avoid isolation when they come into contact with a positive case from 16 August.