The great stay-at-home UK summer is thrown into chaos as half a million in England and Wales are told to isolate by NHS Covid tracing app
Thousands of British holidaymakers face losing their longed-for summer breaks – including domestic holidays that were assumed to be a safer option – as the “pingdemic” spreads across the UK.
Around 530,000 people in England and Wales were sent isolation alerts by the NHS Covid-19 tracing app in the first week of July, advising them to self-isolate for up to 10 days. Rates of infection have soared since then, meaning the number of people “pinged” in the run-up to the start of school holidays this weekend will be significantly higher. More than 1 million children in England were out of school for Covid-related reasons in the week of 12-16 July, according to the latest figures from the Department for Education. Analysis carried out by the BBC earlier this month suggested 4.5 million people could be asked to self-isolate by 16 August, after which the fully vaccinated will no longer be asked to isolate. Continue reading...
