Double-jabbed NHS staff could be exempt from Covid-19 app self-isolation

10 July 2021, 09:43

NHS staff could soon be exempt from self-isolation if pinged by the NHS app
NHS staff could soon be exempt from self-isolation if pinged by the NHS app. Picture: PA

By Kate Buck

NHS staff could soon be exempt from self-isolation if pinged by the NHS app over fears the significant backlog faced by the health service will only be made worse by staff having to stay at home.

Downing Street said on Friday that ahead of Step 4 of restrictions being lifted, expected on July 19, officials were examining whether NHS staff could be freed of the obligation to self-isolate if "pinged" by the Covid app.

Under current plans, those who are fully vaccinated will be able to forgo self-isolation even if the app detects they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive after August 16.

Read more: England coronavirus R number rises to between 1.2 and 1.5

Read more: Health Secretary looking at 'proportionate' solution to Covid app isolation 'pings'

But this may be brought forward for NHS staff, as leaders warned of the significant backlog faced by the health service which will only be intensified by staff having to stay at home.

On Thursday Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said staff levels were being hit because of staff self-isolating.

And on Friday the Prime Minister's official spokesman, when asked if there could be a specific exemption for NHS staff, said: "It's something we're looking at ahead of Step 4, but we would obviously need to set out any updates in the usual way."

School renames itself the 'Harry Kane School'

The number of exposure alerts sent to users of the app in England soared by more than 60% in a week, according to the latest contact tracing figures.

And it has led to a plea for the public not to delete the app.

The No 10 spokesman said the app had been an "important tool" in breaking the chain of transmission of coronavirus.

Read more: Doctor's stark warning on Long-Covid's 'devastating impact' for younger people

"The Prime Minister has been clear that he continues to use it," the spokesman said.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the sensitivity of the app is being kept under constant review and that it could possibly be tweaked "to be suitable to the circumstances of the time".

Boris Johnson hails England team for victory over Denmark in the Euros

But Justin Madders, Labour's shadow health minister, said: "It is hard to square this plan with the more transmissible Delta variant, now is not the time to be taking the batteries out of the smoke alarm."

It comes amid further fears over the rising number of cases.

As of 9am on Friday, there had been a further 35,707 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK, the Government said, the highest daily increase since January 22.

A further 29 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday, bringing the UK total to 128,365.

It remains the case that the majority of people being admitted to hospital in England with the Delta variant are unvaccinated, according to the PHE figures.

And it was announced on Friday that extra support would be rolled out in Oxford due to a rise in cases.

The Government's certification review release earlier in the week said although the so-called vaccine passports would not be mandated now, it did not rule out the prospect if England faces "a difficult situation in autumn or winter".

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Know your limits this summer, Brits have been warned

‘Know your limits’: Brits heading to the Euros this summer warned against drinking ‘too much German beer’

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

Sam Bankman-Fried has been jailed for 25 years for a $8bn crypto fraud

'Crypto King' Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for 25 years for stealing billions of dollars from his customers

Michael Gove has been urged to 'get on with' passing the rental reforms

Ministers accused of making 'major concessions to landlords' after renters reforms 'watered down'

Supermarket opening times for Easter 2024: Trading hour revealed for Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi

Supermarket opening times for Easter 2024: Trading hours revealed for Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi