This is quite the provision of the new self isolation rules for NHS workers on gov.uk. The state is being generous enough to allow someone to leave self isolation for work only to send them back into self isolation for everything else. 
It’s been reported that this is the case for other newly exempted workers as well and George Eustice has talked about “test to release to work” but not clear from newly updated guidance.
Assuming that it is/even if it only applies to NHS- questions
1) is this another example of the rules bearing little/no similarity to how humans will actually behave? Ie would anyone actually do that?
1) is this another example of the rules bearing little/no similarity to how humans will actually behave? Ie would anyone actually do that?
2) is this not an odd way for a govt, not least a Conservative govt to treat people? Activating and deactivating at will?
3) if you have Covid, you have it. You’re not only going to infect people at the pub.
3) if you have Covid, you have it. You’re not only going to infect people at the pub.
And apologies should say that guidance is for both NHS and social care staff
Other question is given govt is quite literally moving to a new system where the double jabbed are exempted from self isolation requirements as a close contact in three weeks, why not just move to it now? Would certainly be less complex than this rather byzantine new system.
NEW: DEFRA gets back to me about this. They confirm that the food distribution workers exempted from self isolation as part of the scheme announced yesterday will indeed only be exempted for work and other very specific activities.
Again this raises significant questions about whether this is yet another example of rules looking terribly neat on paper but completely unrealistic in execution and what philosophical/legal basis there is for the state to act in this way.
All day have asked DEFRA to point me to where in the guidance this provision is specified. They haven't been able to. They've now suggested I get in touch with DHSC tomorrow as it relates to self isolation.
NEW: Government announces extra testing at 200 key workplaces across England which enable workers in police, fire service, border force and key transport workers to be exempted from self isolation requirements.
Essentially an extension to the food distribution list yday.
Essentially an extension to the food distribution list yday.
Govt official I spoke to earlier seemed to think would be on same basis as the food distribution scheme so if so, these workers also would be able to go to work and effectively self-isolate the rest of the time.
As I say, one of my many questions about that is whether anyone in Whitehall think that's realistic.
I also asked DHSC if there was any research which showed that the app was effective in suppressing infection (and if so how much). There was only one paper they pointed me to, from Turing Institute/Oxford which suggested it prevented 600k cases last year. gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%…
Even so, some will say it’s a huge amount of disruption to incur when there’s so little research or certainty about exactly how useful the app is.
Whitehall has been very, very chaotic over the last 48 hours about self isolation. Talking to officials, each department is blaming the other and the centre. Each is asking for exemptions for its part of public services. All agree there’s been so little thinking done about this.
We’re almost certain to return to it next week.
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