Connect with us

Published

on

Boris Johnson is facing growing pressure to allow fully vaccinated people who have been identified as close contacts of coronavirus cases to be exempt from isolation.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has joined business leaders in calling for more workers to be allowed to skip quarantine if they are alerted by the NHS COVID-19 app to prevent a staffing crisis during the so-called “pingdemic”.

In a letter to the prime minister, the mayor and industry bodies including UKHospitality, the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and London’s branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, said there is “an urgent need to outline a more considered approach” on the rules regarding self-isolation.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan travels to City Hall by Tube
Image:
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has urged the PM to outline ‘a more considered approach’ to self-isolation

They warned that the app is exacerbating staff shortages for pubs, bars and restaurants.

The government has announced that a phased approach to testing will soon see some “critical workers” being exempt from quarantine as long as they use daily lateral flow tests and the results are negative.

But the mayor and business leaders said daily PCR tests should be used instead.

“The summer months are crucial for many businesses’ recovery and their ability to recover must not be put in jeopardy,” they noted.

More on Boris Johnson

“We are therefore calling on you to ensure that the necessary testing is in place to enable people who have been double vaccinated for longer than two weeks and pinged by the NHS COVID app, to immediately return to work, following a negative PCR test, rather than having to self-isolate.”

The PM is also facing calls from senior members of his own backbenches for a change to the system.

Conservative MP and chairman of the health and social care select committee Jeremy Hunt warned the government that it faces “losing social consent” for the self-isolation scheme if nothing is done.

Boris Johnson
Image:
Boris Johnson is isolating in Chequers after being alerted as a close contact of Sajid Javid who tested positive for the virus

And fellow Conservative Greg Clark, a former business secretary who now chairs the Commons science and technology committee, suggested that an exemption from self-isolation for all those fully-vaccinated should be brought in immediately.

It comes as pub and restaurant bosses warned of a “summer of venue closures” unless hospitality workers are exempt from quarantine rules as cases continue to increase.

More than 600,000 people were alerted by the app in the week to 14 July.

And the latest information from the Office for National Statistics showed around one in 75 people in England currently have the virus.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng admitted the government is “very concerned” about the numbers of people being pinged by the NHS app.

From 16 August, all of those double vaccinated will be exempt from self-isolation if identified as a close contact, the government has said.

Jeremy Hunt has called for action on the standard of masks worn in shops and on public transport. Pic: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
Image:
Jeremy Hunt says the government faces ‘losing social consent’ over the isolation system if it fails to act

Environment Secretary George Eustice told Sky News this date “at the moment is not coming forward”.

The PM himself is currently isolating at Chequers, having been identified as a close contact of newly-appointed Health Secretary Sajid Javid who tested positive for coronavirus.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak was identified as another of Mr Javid’s contacts – and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was also forced into isolation on Wednesday after one of his children tested positive for the virus.

On Thursday evening, the government published a list of 16 sectors where double-jabbed workers will be eligible to avoid isolation if they undergo daily lateral flow testing and their results are negative.

These included energy, civil nuclear, digital infrastructure, food production and supply, waste, water, veterinary medicines, essential chemicals, essential transport, medicines, medical devices, clinical consumable supplies, emergency services, border control, essential defence outputs, and local government.

Around 10,000 workers in the food sector are also expected to be included in the scheme.

And on Friday, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs expanded on this further, outlining the positions the exemptions would apply to “subject to all other mitigation options being exhausted”.

Food workers have been off work after being 'pinged'
Image:
Around 10,000 food sector workers are among those who could be exempt from isolation

The roles include manufacturing maintenance engineers, specialist reach truck drivers, official vets, environmental health officers, landfill operators, water engineers, laboratory staff essential to the batch release of medicines, and environment agency staff operating critical flood defence assets.

Those who work in the roles above will be able to leave their COVID-19 isolation to travel to work and do their jobs after a negative daily test but must remain at home otherwise and go straight into quarantine if they receive a positive result.

It will only apply to workers who are fully vaccinated – and 14 days after their second coronavirus jab.

Continue Reading

Politics

Embedding human rights into crypto isn’t optional, it’s foundational

Published

on

By

Embedding human rights into crypto isn’t optional, it’s foundational

Embedding human rights into crypto isn’t optional, it’s foundational

Embedding human rights into crypto systems is a necessity. Self-custody, privacy-by-default, and censorship-resistant personhood must be core design principles for any technology. The future of digital freedom depends on it.

Continue Reading

Politics

Experts say ‘just a starting point’ as Crypto Week ends on a high note

Published

on

By

Experts say ‘just a starting point’ as Crypto Week ends on a high note

Experts say ‘just a starting point’ as Crypto Week ends on a high note

The GENIUS Act marks a turning point for crypto regulation, but experts say true integration with finance and identity systems is only beginning.

Continue Reading

Politics

Labour will eliminate unauthorised sewage spillages in a decade, environment secretary says

Published

on

By

Labour will eliminate unauthorised sewage spillages in a decade, environment secretary says

Labour will eliminate unauthorised sewage spillages in 10 years, the environment secretary has told Sky News.

Steve Reed also pledged to halve sewage pollution from water companies by 2030 as he announced £104 billion of private investment to help the government do that.

But he told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this “isn’t the end of our ambition”.

“Over a decade of national renewal, we’ll be able to eliminate unauthorised sewage spillages,” he said.

“But you have to have staging posts along the way, cutting it in half in five years is a dramatic improvement to the problem getting worse and worse and worse every single year.”

He said the water sector is “absolutely broken” and promised to rebuild it and reform it from “top to bottom”.

His earlier pledge to halve sewage pollution from water companies by 2030 is linked to 2024 levels.

The government said it is the first time ministers have set a clear target to reduce sewage pollution and is part of its efforts to respond to record sewage spills and rising water bills.

Ministers are also aiming to cut phosphorus – which causes harmful algae blooms – in half by 2028.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed. File pic: PA
Image:
Environment Secretary Steve Reed. File pic: PA

Mr Reed said families had watched rivers, coastlines and lakes “suffer from record levels of pollution”.

“My pledge to you: the government will halve sewage pollution from water companies by the end of the decade,” he added.

Addressing suggestions wealthier families would be charged more for their water, Mr Reed said there are already “social tariffs” and he does not think more needs to be done, as he pointed out there is help for those struggling to pay water bills.

Read more:
Why aquatic life is facing a double whammy as sewage overflows spill into rivers
Thames Water hit with largest-ever fine issued by regulator Ofwat

The announcement comes ahead of the publication of the Independent Water Commission’s landmark review into the sector on Monday morning.

The commission was established by the UK and Welsh governments as part of their joint response to failures in the industry, but ministers have already said they’ll stop short of nationalising water companies.

Mr Reed said he is eagerly awaiting the report’s publication and said he would wait to see what author Sir John Cunliffe says about Ofwat, the water regulator, following suggestions the government is considering scrapping it.

On Friday, the Environment Agency published data which showed serious pollution incidents caused by water firms increased by 60% in England last year, compared with 2023.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Why sewage outflows are discharging into rivers

Meanwhile, the watchdog has received a record £189m to support hundreds of enforcement officers for inspections and prosecutions.

“One of the largest infrastructure projects in England’s history will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good,” Mr Reed said.

But the Conservatives have accused the Labour government of having so far “simply copied previous Conservative government policy”.

“Labour’s water plans must also include credible proposals to improve the water system’s resilience to droughts, without placing an additional burden on bill payers and taxpayers,” shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins added.

The Rivers Trust says sewage and wastewater discharges have taken place over the weekend, amid thunderstorms in parts of the UK.

Discharges take place to prevent the system from becoming overwhelmed, with storm overflows used to release extra wastewater and rainwater into rivers and seas.

Water company Southern Water said storm releases are part of the way sewage and drainage systems across the world protect homes, schools and hospitals from flooding.

Continue Reading

Trending