Update on self-isolation for ‘critical services’
23 July 2021
The Government has provided an update on exemptions from self-isolation for a limited number of ‘critical services’.
The list of sectors in which employers may be eligible to apply for exemptions for key employees is available via the link below, and includes medicines, medical devices and clinical consumable supplies.
Where member companies believe that the self-isolation of certain key employees as contacts would result in serious disruption to critical services, they should contact the Department of Health and Social Care’s dedicated team on covid19.criticalworker@dhsc.gov.uk, providing the following information:
- the number of people who it is proposed would leave self-isolation
- the roles those individuals need to perform
- the impact failure to do this would have and when this impact is likely to materialise (for example, is it already an issue or likely to materialise in the coming days).
Where a specific case meets the criteria, the employer will receive a letter from the relevant department setting out the named critical workers designated and telling them what measures they and those workers need to follow. This process applies to those in England, with specific guidance for Scotland expected to be published soon.
This process is only intended to run until 16 August 2021, when fully vaccinated close contacts will be exempt from self-isolation.
