(ANSA) - ROME, JULY 22 - Supermarkets in Great Britain are increasingly in difficulty in keeping their shelves fully stocked, because thousands of workers are forced to isolate themselves after coming into contact with Covid positive subjects.
The alarm was raised by representatives of the retail sector, the Guardian reported.
The personnel crisis, renamed "pingdemic", also involves other sectors, from gas stations to truck drivers. The British government has announced that some companies will be able to apply for exemptions for their employees who are "pinged" by the NHS tracking app once they come into contact with positives. It will be possible for them to return to work by undergoing a daily test, avoiding precautionary self-isolation of 10 days.
However, it appears that the exemptions will not cover entire categories, but will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Andrew Opie, director of food at the British RetailConsortium, said the shortage of staff could impact opening hours and shelf supplies. And he called on the government to act quickly, for example by providing exemption for those who have been fully vaccinated.
The problem of self-isolation adds to the shortage of delivery workers, particularly truck drivers, caused by a mix of Brexit, Covid and changes to tax rules. And even the police are not spared from 'pingdemic': the Telegraph also reported that a third of the control room staff in Dorset are absent from work after being 'pinged' or tested positive for Covid. (HANDLE).