‘Critical workers’ in Scotland WON’T have to self-isolate after ‘pingdemic’ chaos

Nicola Sturgeon has announced that key staff will be able to apply for exemptions if they test negative for Covid after being told to self-isolate.

The announcement comes as there have been growing fears that key services and businesses could be under threat as thousands of employees have been forced to stay at home amid ‘pingdemic’ chaos.

Huge absences in supermarkets across the UK have sparked food shortages on shelves in the last few days as people have started to panic buy.

Workers that want to avoid self-isolation will need to be fully vaccinated, asymptomatic and will also have to take a daily lateral flow check after their initial PCR Covid test.

The First Minister said it was “essential” to ensure that “critical national infrastructure” is kept running during the pandemic, The Scottish Sun reports.

She also added that it was a “limited change” that will only be used when absolutely necessary and that the Scottish Government will continue “protecting public health”.

Sturgeon said: “It is essential that lifeline services and critical national infrastructure are maintained and we are implementing these changes now – ahead of possible changes to self-isolation rules for close contacts that may apply more generally in future – to ensure staff shortages do not put key services at risk.

“We have seen significant staff shortages in a small number of organisations in recent days and we have worked with them to protect services.

“Applications for exemptions are being considered from today and we will consider applications as they come in.

“Clinical evidence tells us we can safely and effectively release some critical staff from self-isolation, with appropriate safeguards.

“However, this is a very limited change at this stage, to be applied on a case by case basis and only where absolutely necessary.

“We will not allow key services to be threatened by staff shortages but equally we must continue to protect public health.”

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