NHS Covid app sends record 618,903 Brits into isolation with pings in ONE WEEK as coronavirus chaos gets worse
OVER 600,000 Brits were told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 App in a WEEK, according to government figures.
A record 618,903 alerts were sent to users of the app in England and Wales in the week up to July 14 as the “pingdemic” continues to cause havoc.
The NHS Covid-19 App, which "pings" anyone who has been within 2 metres of an infectious person for more than 15 minutes, has caused severe disruption to Brits despite lockdown rules ending on Monday.
Today's figure marks a rise of nearly 100,000 on the week before, when 530,126 people were alerted by the app.
Unlike those who are contacted directly by NHS Test and Trace, the app's instruction is only advisory - and self-isolation is not legally enforced.
Retail bosses last night warned warnings that supermarket shelves could be left empty due to number of staff in self-isolation.
Iceland boss Richard Walker said he had hired 2,000 temporary workers to cover absences caused by the pingdemic.
And more than a third of the Dorset Police control room staff are off work after being 'pinged' or showing Covid symptoms.
Boris Johnson, appearing via videolink from Chequers, yesterday apologised to those being pinged for the inconvenience - but stressed that the app remained an essential tool in the battle against the bug.
The PM said: "I apologise to everybody in business up and down the land in all kinds of services, public sector or otherwise, who are experiencing inconvenience."
Mr Johnson was himself pinged by the app last week alongside Rishi Sunak following Health secretary Sajid Javid’s positive Covid test.
And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer became the latest high-profile politician to be alerted by the app yesterday after one of his children tested positive.
PINGDEMIC CHAOS
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng today vowed that the self-isolation rules would be scrapped by August 16.
He said: "I fully expect that the restrictions will be lifted, that is what we are working towards."
Mr Kwarteng admitted the Government was "concerned" by photos of bare shelves in supermarkets, but said it wasn't a "universal" problem.
He told BBC Radio 4: "Shoppers shouldn’t be panicking... I’m not panicking."
And Mr Kwarteng said a "very narrow" list of sectors whose workers will be exempt from isolation rules will be published later today.
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Meanwhile, ministers sparked fury after suggesting that Brits should cancel their wedding if they are "pinged" and asked to self-isolate.
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Asked what a couple should do if they are “pinged” the night before their big day, Home Office minister Vicky Atkins told LBC that self-isolation rules must be adhered to.
She replied: “The guidance is 'please, you must stay at home'. That is a terribly, terribly difficult scenario.”