The Government has expanded the list of sectors able to dodge self-isolation to help businesses amid the raging ‘pingdemic’.

Double-jabbed people working in prisons, defence, communications, space, fish and HMRC may no longer have to quarantine after coming into close contact with a positive coronavirus case.

It has also been announced that 1,200 new testing sites will be added to the 800 already in operation.

The actions taken are ‘to avoid disruption to crucial services’, ministers said tonight.

It comes after staff in frontline roles like police, fire and the Border Force were told they could switch to daily lateral flow testing instead of having to quarantine.

The new policy applies only to named workers, rather than being a ‘blanket exemption for all workers in a sector.

Employers must write to the relevant Government department to request individual exemptions.

It only grants them entry to work and they’ll have to stay at home otherwise.

Full list of sectors able to avoid quarantine

• Energy
• Civil Nuclear
• Digital infrastructure
• Food production and supply
• Veterinary medicines
• Essential chemicals
• Essential transport
• Medicines
• Medical devices
• Clinical consumable supplies
• Emergency service
• Border control
• Essential defence outputs
• Local government
• Manufacturing maintenance
• Engineers
• Specialist reach truck drivers
• Official vets
• Environmental health officers
• Landfill operators
• Water engineers
• Laboratory staff essential to the batch release of medicines
• Environment agency staff operating critical flood defence assets

New today –

• Prisons
• Waste collection
• Pharmaceuticals
• Telecoms
• Chemicals
• Water
• Defence
• Communications
• Space
• Fish
• HMRC

The new rules will only last until August 16 – when all fully vaccinated people and those under the age of 18 can avoid self-isolation.

It comes after Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng confessed ministers are ‘very concerned’ about the number of people being ordered to self-isolate.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said daily testing will ‘play a vital role’ in ‘minimising the potential for disruption caused by rising cases’.

He said: ‘Whether it’s prison guards reporting for duty, waste collectors keeping our streets clean or workers in our energy sector keeping the lights on, critical workers have been there for us at every stage of this global pandemic.

‘As we learn to live with the virus, we will keep doing everything in our power to break chains of transmission and stop this virus in its tracks.

‘Daily contact testing will play a vital role in this, helping minimise the potential for disruption caused by rising cases, while keeping staff protected.’

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