{"id":118578,"date":"2021-07-22T15:20:42","date_gmt":"2021-07-22T15:20:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=118578"},"modified":"2021-07-22T15:20:42","modified_gmt":"2021-07-22T15:20:42","slug":"covid-19-govt-very-concerned-about-impact-of-pingdemic-with-list-of-exempt-critical-workers-expected-very-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/politics\/covid-19-govt-very-concerned-about-impact-of-pingdemic-with-list-of-exempt-critical-workers-expected-very-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19: Govt ‘very concerned’ about impact of ‘pingdemic’ – with list of exempt critical workers expected ‘very soon’"},"content":{"rendered":"
The government is “very concerned” about the numbers of people being pinged by the NHS app, the business secretary has told Sky News.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Kay Burley, Kwasi Kwarteng said ministers were “monitoring” the situation and would be setting out a list of exempt critical workers “very soon”.<\/p>\n
Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world<\/strong><\/p>\n “The list of exemptions will be quite narrow because, obviously, you have to draw the line somewhere,” he said.<\/p>\n Downing Street said earlier this week that it would not be “producing a list covering individual sectors”<\/strong>, with employers instead having to apply to government departments to allow workers to effectively circumvent the COVID-19<\/strong> rules around isolation.<\/p>\n His comments come as retailers warn they are under “increasing pressure”<\/strong> to keep shelves fully stocked amid staff shortages caused by the “pingdemic”.<\/p>\n Industry bosses have warned that supply chains are “starting to fail” due to the number of workers, including lorry drivers and meat-processing staff, getting pinged by the NHS COVID-19 app.<\/p>\n Some shoppers have posted pictures on social media of empty supermarket shelves in parts of the country.<\/p>\n Being pinged by the app means you should isolate for 10 days – but unlike being contacted by Test and Trace, it is guidance rather than legally mandated.<\/p>\n Latest figures show over 500,000 people were pinged by the app in the week up to 7 July, leading to concerns that millions could be forced out of work as coronavirus cases rise.<\/p>\n