Wales will not follow England to exempt certain jobs from self-isolation
Rules which will see a list of critical workers in England able to avoid self-isolation rules will not be introduced in Wales, the government has announced.
A long-awaited list of workers who could skip Covid isolation if they are "pinged" by the NHS Test and Trace app has been released by English ministers amid growing pressure from various industries struggling to stay open - due to their staff being told to quarantine.
The latest guidance only applies to those in England - and those who have had two doses of the vaccine and are fully vaccinated.
In the week to July 14, 618,903 people were 'pinged' by the NHS Covid app - the highest weekly figure ever recorded in England and Wales.
Wales' health minister Eluned Morgan said as part of the next review cycle, which could see the country move to Alert Level Zero in early August, the government aims to "remove the requirement for people who have been fully vaccinated to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive."
"Until any changes are introduced it is essential that anyone asked to self-isolate does so", Ms Morgan added.
What are the rules around self-isolation in Wales?
If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss or change of taste or smell), you must self-isolate at home and get a test.
The self-isolation period is 10 days.
If you’ve had the coronavirus vaccine, but have symptoms or have been told to self-isolate, you must still self-isolate.
If you have been contacted by the Test, Trace and Protect service, it is a legal requirement to self-isolate.
If you have been contacted via the NHS Covid-19 App, it is not a legal requirement due to the protection of users' privacy.
However, the Welsh Government advises app users to follow the instructions "to help minimise the spread of the virus."
Following concerns around the number of people off work after being told to self-isolate, the health minister said it demonstrates that the app is "working effectively" and "doing what it is designed to do.
But, the founder of one of Britain’s biggest food producers that employs hundreds across north Wales warned supermarket shelves will be empty unless "critical issues" threatening the supply chain are resolved.
Ranjit Singh Boparan, founder and President at major chicken supplier 2 Sisters Food Group which has sites in Flintshire and Anglesey, described it as a "perfect storm" - as he said he battles with labour shortages due to Brexit which have then been exacerbated by Covid.
"No-one could possibly have predicted that this toxic cocktail would come together at this time. It started with the pandemic – and in the last week or so with ‘pingdemic’, but since May this year, the operating environment has deteriorated so profoundly I can see no other outcome than major food shortages in the UK."Supply of chicken and turkey is under threat. Our retail partners and the wider supply chain have worked together closer than ever before to ensure we retain food supply and this is of huge credit to everyone. But we are at crisis point."
Critical services such as the NHS could also face additional pressures as a result of the number of people having to self-isolate.
Wales' health minister added the government is working with the service "to see what more could be done... where self-isolation of fully vaccinated close contacts could have a direct impact on patient safety."
She added teams who are responsible for Covid prevention have been asked to consider whether isolation poses any risks to "critical services and infrastructure" and will advise on any possible response that may be considered necessary.