Live

Covid app ping updates as it happened: Shoppers warned not to panic buy goods

22 July 2021, 10:07 | Updated: 22 July 2021, 14:38

Shelves seen empty in Asda in Wallasey as 'pingdemic' shortages continue

By Asher McShane

Shops are facing growing difficulties in keeping shelves stocked due to staff shortages due to the Covid-19 pingdemic.

Iceland has said it had closed 'a number of stores' after 1,000 members of staff - 4% of its workforce - were 'pinged'.

The chain has also warned people not to stockpile goods when they go shopping.

BP has also said it has had to temporarily close some of its stations due to a petrol and diesel supply problem caused by a shortage of lorry drivers who were also pinged.

Co-op and Sainsbury's also issued updates to shoppers, with Co-op warning of "some patchy disruption to our deliveries."

The chief executive of the British Retail Consortium has warned that some food retailers will be forced to close stores because of the number of staff being told to self-isolate by the NHS app.

Read through the round up of what happened on Thursday morning below, and read the latest on the problem here.

Happening Now

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

A man is about to check a box on a grid of a EuroMillions game slip.

Lucky EuroMillion's winner to become richer than Adele with record £208m jackpot

Dogd could prevent eczema in young children.

Study reveals which pet could prevent eczema in at-risk children

The 46-year-old, who has twice won a national bravery award, then slammed the teenager to the ground and placed his hand over the boy’s face while shouting threats and curse words.

Police hit back at ‘unjust’ decision to sack award-winning officer over ‘lack of respect’ towards knife carrying teen

Cameron Bradford was detained in Munich after allegedly being caught smuggling cannabis.

Mother-of-one, 21, becomes latest Brit arrested for drug smuggling as she's held in Munich returning from Thailand

Kai has garnered a huge social media following in recent years.

Man arrested attempting to storm Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to 'marry' his teen granddaughter Kai

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton is thought to be in line to be the next Chief of Defence Staff.

Non-pilot RAF ‘money man’ Sir Richard Knighton tipped to take top military post as head of armed forces

Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Gaza aid centres close for the day as Israel warns roads leading to hubs 'considered combat zones'

Evelyn, Paityn and Olivia Decker

Police launch manhunt for ex-soldier accused of kidnapping and murdering his three daughters

Jessie J perform an intimate set on the majestic background of Union Chapel in Islington, North London.

Pop star Jessie J reveals cancer diagnosis

Exclusive
38-year-old Greg Monk from Glasgow arrived in the resort town of Albufeira for a night out last Tuesday

Family of Scottish man missing in Portugal for a week 'in living hell' as search focuses on rough terrain

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action

Bruno Fernandes ‘wants to stay at the highest level’ as he turns down Saudi move

The regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), published a report that found travellers face "inconsistent treatment and outcomes" for similar ticketing issues across the railway.

Train firms taking 'disproportionate action' against honest passengers, watchdog warns

Although the committee noted there were "signs of improvement", PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said Sellafield continued to present "intolerable risks".

'Intolerable risks': Shocking report warns UK’s most hazardous nuclear site could leak radioactive water until 2050s

An elderly lady walks with a zimmer frame to her chair

AI foot scanner can spot heart failure weeks before hospital admission, study finds

Exclusive
The Home Office confirmed that 1,194 asylum seekers reached the UK in 18 small boats on Saturday—the highest daily total so far in 2025.

Amber Rudd tells Government to 'get a grip' as record 1,194 Migrants cross channel in one day

Exclusive
Former head of the diplomatic service Lord Simon McDonald stressed to LBC's Andrew Marr that NATO 'couldn't force the UK to do anything'.

‘NATO can’t force the UK to do anything’: Former top diplomat pushes back on defence spending hike