More testing sites for key workers to avoid self-isolation in England
July 24, 2021, 2:53 am

More testing sites for key workers to avoid self-isolation in England

More testing sites for key workers to avoid isolation in England

The BBC reported that more workers will be able to avoid self-isolation if they are a contact of a Covid case as the government expands workplace testing in England.

Police, firefighters, Border Force staff, transport and freight workers were already eligible for exemption from self-isolation in some cases.

However their employers needed to specify the workers' names, and they had to be double-jabbed.

Now they will be able to join the daily contact workplace testing scheme.

The BBC added that the scheme was announced by the government on Thursday, originally for supermarket depots and food manufacturers.

Fifteen testing sites were initially announced - although they won't be running until at least Monday.

The government has now announced "an expected initial 200 new testing sites", and the wider range of eligible sectors.

It means workers who are alerted by the NHS Covid app - or contacted by Test and Trace - will be able to continue working if they test negative each day, whether or not they are vaccinated.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "Daily testing will keep our frontline teams safe while they continue to serve the public and communities across our country."

The exemptions from self-isolation came after concerns from several sectors that staff shortages were making normal work impossible, with a growing number of people told to self-isolate for 10 days.

Nearly 608,000 contact tracing alerts were sent in England in the week between 8 and 15 July - a record high.

However, it is not clear when the 200 additional new testing sites will be available.

The government's promise to start testing at 15 "crucial" supermarket depots on Friday was delayed until Monday.

From 16 August, fully-vaccinated people in England will not need to isolate after being in close contact with a Covid case.

The BBC Lewis Goodall said "confusion - if not some chaos - has reigned in Whitehall over the past 24 hours days as ministers and officials grapple with the large number of workers being told to self isolate".

The high number of notifications sent - branded a "pingdemic" - has led to criticism around the rules of self-isolation, with many businesses forced to close or reduce their service.

Announcing the new testing sites, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Daily contact testing of workers in these critical sectors will help to minimise any disruption caused by rising cases in the coming weeks, while ensuring staff are not put at risk."

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Source: BBC
Image source: Getty-BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”