Pressure builds to allow vaccinated shop staff avoid self-isolation

The NFRN is the latest trade association to ask for shop staff who have been pinged to be permitted to continue working if they have been double vaccinated and tested negative for Covid

The NFRN argues that this would lessen the risk of shops having to close because too many staff are forced to stay off work.

NFRN national president Stuart Reddish added that more people are ignoring government advice even under the current system, which advises anyone pinged by the app should self-isolate for ten days.

Reddish said: “More and more people are getting pinged and are either going to ignore the notification or delete the NHS app altogether, particularly those who do not get paid for being off work.

“Before restrictions were lifted on July 19, newsagents and convenience stores were classed as essential and allowed to remain open, even during lockdown.

“But forcing people to isolate, even when they don’t have the virus, makes no sense at all and will lead to shops having to close their doors for days on end.

“All through the pandemic, independent stores have provided a lifeline for their communities, keeping them fed and watered.

“We welcomed the government’s decision to keep food supplies moving, but that is no use if there is no-one in our stores to sell it.”

Last week the government said it would allow designated supermarket depot workers and food manufacturers to be exempt from the quarantine rules, but shop workers have so far been told that they should still self-isolate if identified by the app as having had a close contact with someone who has Covid.