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Daily tests not self-isolation for police, fire, borders, transport and freight staff | Daily tests not self-isolation for police, fire, borders, transport and freight staff |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A scheme allowing key workers to avoid Covid self-isolation in England has been significantly expanded following criticism it did not go far enough. | A scheme allowing key workers to avoid Covid self-isolation in England has been significantly expanded following criticism it did not go far enough. |
Police, fire, Border Force, transport and freight staff will now be able to join a daily workplace test scheme, whether they are vaccinated or not. | Police, fire, Border Force, transport and freight staff will now be able to join a daily workplace test scheme, whether they are vaccinated or not. |
Some 10,000 supermarket depot and food factory workers will also be eligible. Testing is expected to start next week. | |
Several sectors have warned of staff shortages in recent days. | Several sectors have warned of staff shortages in recent days. |
Currently, most people identified as close contacts of someone with coronavirus have to self-isolate for 10 days. | Currently, most people identified as close contacts of someone with coronavirus have to self-isolate for 10 days. |
Police forces, local authorities, transport providers and supermarkets were among those calling for a review of the rules to avoid crippling shutdowns or skeleton operations. | Police forces, local authorities, transport providers and supermarkets were among those calling for a review of the rules to avoid crippling shutdowns or skeleton operations. |
Home Secretary Priti Patel said daily testing would keep frontline teams safe while they continued to serve the public and communities. | |
From 16 August anyone in England who is fully vaccinated - and unvaccinated under-18s - will be able to take daily tests instead of self-isolating. Similar rules come into force in Scotland from 9 August - and in Wales from 7 August. | From 16 August anyone in England who is fully vaccinated - and unvaccinated under-18s - will be able to take daily tests instead of self-isolating. Similar rules come into force in Scotland from 9 August - and in Wales from 7 August. |
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has joined leading business figures in urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to bring this date forward and end self-isolation for close contacts if they are fully vaccinated. | Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has joined leading business figures in urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to bring this date forward and end self-isolation for close contacts if they are fully vaccinated. |
Growing numbers of people have been told to self-isolate, with almost 608,000 contact tracing alerts sent from the NHS Covid-19 app in the week to 15 July - a record high. | Growing numbers of people have been told to self-isolate, with almost 608,000 contact tracing alerts sent from the NHS Covid-19 app in the week to 15 July - a record high. |
This so-called "pingdemic" has led to shortages of some products in supermarkets and staffing problems for frontline services. | This so-called "pingdemic" has led to shortages of some products in supermarkets and staffing problems for frontline services. |
The daily test scheme means eligible workers who are alerted by the app in England - or contacted by NHS Test and Trace - will be able to continue working if they test negative each day, whatever their vaccination status. | The daily test scheme means eligible workers who are alerted by the app in England - or contacted by NHS Test and Trace - will be able to continue working if they test negative each day, whatever their vaccination status. |
Ports, airports, rail infrastructure and haulage workers, alongside frontline police, fire and Border Force staff will now be eligible. | Ports, airports, rail infrastructure and haulage workers, alongside frontline police, fire and Border Force staff will now be eligible. |
The government has announced an extra 200 testing sites to help screen these workers - but these will not open until Monday at the earliest. | |
Analysis | |
By Lewis Goodall BBC Newsnight correspondent | |
Confusion, if not some chaos, has reigned in Whitehall over the past 24 hours as ministers and officials grapple with the large numbers of people being told to self-isolate. | |
Departments have expressed concern about their ability to maintain key public services. | |
Ministers have now announced an expansion of workplace testing sites to include staff at the Border Force, police and fire services and key transport sectors. | |
The same measure was introduced on Thursday for food distribution workers. | |
However a government official told me that they would be expected to leave self-isolation only for work. | |
Critics are already questioning how realistic or fair an idea that can be. | |
Which workers don't have to self-isolate? | |
Check the latest rules in your area | |
A separate scheme in England allows employers to apply in advance for exemptions for named fully-vaccinated critical workers in a small number of industries, such as the energy sector. | A separate scheme in England allows employers to apply in advance for exemptions for named fully-vaccinated critical workers in a small number of industries, such as the energy sector. |
In Scotland, critical workers in the health, food and transport sectors can apply to be exempt from self-isolation. | In Scotland, critical workers in the health, food and transport sectors can apply to be exempt from self-isolation. |
GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there? | GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there? |
THE R NUMBER: What it means and why it matters | THE R NUMBER: What it means and why it matters |
TEST AND TRACE: How does it work? | TEST AND TRACE: How does it work? |
QUARANTINE: Will I need to self-isolate in a hotel? | QUARANTINE: Will I need to self-isolate in a hotel? |
Meanwhile, England manager Gareth Southgate is urging younger people to get vaccinated, saying it is a chance to "get your freedom back". | |
About 34% of 18 to 29-year-olds in England - about three million people - have not been vaccinated at all. In Scotland, about 30% are not yet vaccinated. | |
A total of 83,239,491 vaccines have been given in the UK, 46,476,845 first doses and 36,762,646 second doses, according to the latest government figures. | |
Friday's daily figures showed Covid cases were down for the third consecutive day in the UK, with 36,389 new infections. | |
It is too soon to say whether cases have peaked, however, given that the statistics do not capture the impact of unlocking that happened on 19 July. | It is too soon to say whether cases have peaked, however, given that the statistics do not capture the impact of unlocking that happened on 19 July. |
The latest estimate of R - which measures how quickly the virus is spreading - is unchanged from the previous week at 1.2 to 1.4. | The latest estimate of R - which measures how quickly the virus is spreading - is unchanged from the previous week at 1.2 to 1.4. |
It means that on average, every 10 people infected with coronavirus goes on to infect between 12 and 14 others. | It means that on average, every 10 people infected with coronavirus goes on to infect between 12 and 14 others. |
WHAT HAPPENS TO RACE HORSES WHEN THEIR CAREER ENDS?: The dark side of the racing industry | WHAT HAPPENS TO RACE HORSES WHEN THEIR CAREER ENDS?: The dark side of the racing industry |
WHAT TURNS SOMEONE INTO A VIOLENT EXTREMIST?: Unprecedented access to an ISIS smartphone | WHAT TURNS SOMEONE INTO A VIOLENT EXTREMIST?: Unprecedented access to an ISIS smartphone |