MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2021) The UK government exempts food production and supply sector workers from coronavirus-related quarantine in a bid to avoid food shortages as the so-called pingdemic puts pressure on the sector, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
The move comes after the official health app told hundreds of thousands of workers to isolate following contact with someone with COVID-19, causing disruptions and prompting people to panic-buy. A record 618,903 people in England and Wales were "pinged" by the NHS COVID-19 app in the week to July 14, the official data said.
The UK health department revealed late on Thursday a list of 16 sectors, including food production and supply, where workers regardless of vaccination status will not have to self-isolate after coming into close contact with a COVID patient. They will be allowed to take daily tests at work instead.
The list also includes such sectors, as energy, civil nuclear, digital infrastructure, waste, water, veterinary medicines, essential chemicals, essential transport, medicines, medical devices, clinical consumable supplies, emergency services, border control, essential defense outputs, and local government.
The Times reported on Friday that the new rule will apply to workers in 2,000 warehouses and supermarket distribution centers, with up to 10,000 staff expected to qualify for the scheme.
