Boris claims he 'briefly' considered dodging Covid quarantine but decided 'everybody should stick to the same rules' in video completing humiliating U-turn - after plan to avoid 'pingdemic' was met with fury
- Health Secretary Sajid Javid revealed on Saturday that he tested positive for Covid and is showing symptoms
- That has sparked fears of a Downing Street 'pingdemic' with close contacts forced into 10-day self-isolation
- All eyes on Boris and his Cabinet to see whether they will avoid isolation rules affecting thousands of Britons
- Government source warned that 'half the Cabinet' could well be in isolation by the end of the weekBoris Johnson claimed he only 'briefly' looked at trying to skip Covid quarantine today after a humiliating U-turn over plans to join a daily testing pilot scheme instead in the face of red hot public outrage.
The Prime Minister used a social media video this afternoon to say he had been 'pinged' after Health Secretary Sajid Javid tested positive for the virus yesterday and would be isolating at Chequers until July 26.
But it came after a morning of political anger in the summer heat as he and Chancellor Rishi Sunak initially announced they would use a public sector worker pilot which allows people out of self-isolation every day to continue working if they pass a daily lateral flow test.Amid widespread outrage from politicians, business leaders and the public they caved in within hours and revealed they would join thousands of people who are having to self-isolate at home - in the PM's case his country estate in Buckinghamshire.
They had faced accusations they were accessing a 'VIP lane' that was not available workers who are having to isolate, bringing some businesses and public transport o the bring of collapse.
But video put out this afternoon, Mr Johnson said: 'We did look briefly into the idea of us taking part in the pilot scheme which allows people to test daily, but I think it's far more important that everybody sticks to the same rules.
'That's why I'm going to be self-isolating until the 26th of July. I really do urge everybody to stick with the programme and take the appropriate course of action when you're asked to do so by NHS Test and Trace.'
Mr Johnson faced condemnation this morning over the plan, which comes as tens of thousands of workers are forced to isolate by a Covid app 'pingdemic'.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said: 'The only reason that he's U-turned on this is because he's been busted. It's like bank robbers who've got caught and now they're offering the money back.'
Mr Johnson was already under pressure ahead of Freedom Day tomorrow. His plans for a triumphant end to more than six months of lockdown in England - including a 'Churchillian' speech were thrown into complete disarray as he found himself under attack from all sides of the political spectrum over surging virus cases and hundreds of thousands of workers being forced to self-isolate by the NHS Covid app.
In other developments:
- Mr Johnson cancelled plans for a Churchillian 'Freedom Day' event at an historic venue associated with the wartime leader after No 10 became alarmed by the surge in the number of infections;
- One of the UK's top epidemiologists, Prof Neil Ferguson, refused to rule out a new lockdown before Christmas saying he 'can't be certain' over whether the country will need to close again;
- The UK moved closer to the previous peak of 68,000 daily cases, recorded in January, with infections reaching 54,674;
- Figures also showed 740 patients had been admitted to hospital in the previous 24 hours and 41 deaths were reported;
- A total of 67,956 people had their first vaccine and 188,976 their second, bringing the number of fully vaccinated people to 35,732,297 – or 67.8 per cent of all adults.
- Mr Javid became embroiled in a row with Rishi Sunak over plans for a £10 billion-a-year 'health tax' to clear the backlog of operations and fund care for the elderly, with sources telling this newspaper that Mr Johnson had asked Mr Javid to pressure the Chancellor to impose the levy;
- Prince Charles has told aides that he will wear a mask only when Government advice dictates that he should do so;
- Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Government may have to reimpose lockdown if Covid cases continue to rise, adding: 'The warning light on the NHS dashboard is not flashing amber, it is flashing red';
- The Olympic athletes' village in Tokyo recorded its first Covid case, prompting fears for the Games.
The Prime Minister used a social media video this afternoon to say he had been 'pinged' after Health Secretary Sajid Javid tested positive for the virus yesterday and would be isolating at Chequers until July 26.
Covid cases across the UK have soared by 52 per cent week-on-week, but the number of deaths has fallen slightly
This week's figures show 740 patients had been admitted with Covid on July 13, and 4,313 in the week to that date
Last week 26 people were recorded as having died from Covid, while figures released today showed 25 people had died of Covid in the last 24 hours
The PM's announcement sparked fury - and a wave of memes - on Twitter this morning.
Up to 1million people were asked to self-isolate last week, data suggests. But that figure could hit 5.6million by the end of the month, if cases spiral by 75 per cent every week (right), according to MailOnline analysis. Separate projections based on a growth rate of 40 per cent - similar to what Test and Trace reported last week - still says the number of people self-isolating could hit 3million a week. But the true figure will be much lower because many people who are told to self-isolate end up testing positive, and some people will be flagged down by both NHS Test and Trace and the app
Around 1.8million people were asked to self-isolate last week in England, data suggests. That includes 194,000 people who tested positive, 520,000 who were 'pinged' by the app, almost 340,000 who were contacted directly by Test and Trace, and 750,000 schoolchildren
Prof Neil Ferguson said he 'can't be certain' over whether the country will need to lock down again in the winter before Christmas.
Covid hospitalisations are above the levels estimated by SAGE for mid-July, at 559 on average. SAGE says there could be 2,000 a day in August when they think the second wave will peak
The Health Secretary triggered fears of a disruptive 'pingdemic' striking at the heart of Government after reveling yesterday he has tested positive.
Mr Javid had visited the Commons and Downing Street in previous days – and is understood to have held a lengthy face-to-face meeting with Boris Johnson just before his symptoms developed – sparking concerns that senior figures across Whitehall would have to be confined to home.
One insider warned that 'half the Cabinet' could be in isolation by the end of the week.
Late this morning a No10 spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister has been contacted by NHS Test and Trace to say he is a contact of someone with Covid.
'He was at Chequers when contacted by Test and Trace and will remain there to isolate. He will not be taking part in the testing pilot.
'He will continue to conduct meetings with ministers remotely. The Chancellor has also been contacted and will also isolate as required and will not be taking part in the pilot.'
In a tweet Mr Sunak said: 'Whilst the test and trace pilot is fairly restrictive, allowing only essential government business, I recognise that even the sense that the rules aren't the same for everyone is wrong.
'To that end I'll be self isolating as normal and not taking part in the pilot.'
Earlier No10 had said Mr Johnson would take advantage of the scheme not widely available to the public, leading to accusations they were using a 'VIP lane' while ordinary families struggled.
The move triggered a furious backlash as rules forcing close associates of Covid cases to self-isolate for 10 days threaten to bring Britain to its knees.
The NHS has warned of staff shortages, unions say factories could start closing with in days and there are fears over some food supplies.
Yesterday parts of the London Underground were forced to cease running due to a lack of staff.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the situation would infuriate workers and hard-pressed parents.
'For many of them, waking up this morning to hear that there is a special rule, an exclusive rule, for Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, they will be saying that this looks like one rule for them and something else for the rest of us,' he told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday.
'Nobody understands how you can get access to this special treatment or VIP lane where you don't have to isolate yourself.
'If it is a pilot, why can't employers apply for their workforce to be part of this pilot, why can't schools apply to be part of this pilot test?
'I do think a lot of people are going to be looking at this and thinking 'what on earth is going on?''
Mr Ashworth added: 'This is at a time when we need to maintain confidence in the isolation policies, because isolation, taking yourself away from society if you've been in contact with someone who's got the virus, is one of the key ways we break transmission and, of course, we know infections are rising.'
Richard Walker, the boss of frozen food chain Iceland, was also among those who blasted the PM today.
He tweeted: 'Shame the hundreds of Iceland staff who've been pinged can't avoid self-isolation. We can all do a daily lateral flow test.'
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said members of the public who are pinged should still self-isolate.
He said the test-and-release pilot being used by Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak was being trialled by about 20 public sector organisations including Border Force and Transport for London.
He said the two minsters would be tested at a special testing centre which has been set up in Downing Street.
'It is correct that the Cabinet Office and Downing Street are part of the pilot. I am not aware that other (government) departments are,' Mr Jenrick told Sky News.
'It means that you can be tested every day in specialist asymptomatic testing centres such at the one that has been set up in Downing Street.
'It means that the Chancellor and the Prime Minister will be able to conduct the most essential Government meetings but the rest of their time will have to be spent isolating and not meeting up with family or friends or socialising. So it is relatively restrictive.
The number of alerts sent out in relation to venues also more than doubled in seven days
Richard Walker, the boss of frozen food chain Iceland, was among those who blasted the PM today.'I entirely appreciate that this isn't available yet to wider members of the public and the frustration that they might feel listening to this.
'Other members of the public who are pinged will have to self-isolate in the usual way and that is a really important part of our plan to keep Covid under control.'
After feeling 'a bit groggy' on Friday night, Mr Javid – who has been double-jabbed – took a lateral flow test yesterday. When it came back positive, he began self-isolating with his family pending the results of a more reliable PCR test.
He said his symptoms were 'mild' but there were immediate concerns over those he had been in contact with, including Ministers and senior civil servants.
Downing Street last night said that if Mr Javid's PCR test came back positive, those he had been close to him would be traced.
The Health Secretary was pictured leaving No 10 on Friday, shortly before he began to feel unwell, and earlier in the week he had visited vulnerable people in a care home.
Schools, hospitals, transport services and factories have been decimated by staff shortages caused by the 'pingdemic' of notifications on the NHS Covid app.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been told they have been close to someone who has tested positive so must self-isolate, while others have been contacted by Test and Trace call centres.
Unlike most ordinary members of the public, however, many Whitehall officials and Ministers have been able to carry on visiting their offices if they take a daily test. They include Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, who was 'pinged' in May when he flew out to Porto to watch the Champions League football final but was able to avoid self-isolation by entering a 'research programme' called the Daily Contact Testing Study.
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted: 'Sorry for the unparliamentary language but this just takes the p***.
'Not following the rules that they created and which they expect my constituents to follow. This Government treats the public with contempt and think they are above the law and that the rules don't apply to them.'
And Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: 'It is one rule for them and another rule for everyone else.
'How about the school teachers, transport workers and health workers getting a chance to be part of this test pilot or is it only for the privileged few?
'People have stuck to the rules and done the right thing, Boris Johnson is taking them for granted.'
The Whitehall scare – just hours before the so-called Freedom Day relaxation of Covid measures tomorrow – came as industry chiefs warned of food shortages and unemptied bins if urgent action was not taken to address the sensitivity of the app.
One London Underground line closed yesterday when control room staff were forced to self-isolate, and teaching unions said there had been reports of children being taken out of school because parents were scared of losing family holidays if they were 'pinged'.
Meanwhile, Ministers warned that France could be moved to the 'red list' of countries over fears that the South African, or Beta, variant spreading rapidly in the country could evolve to evade the vaccine.
On Friday night, the Government excluded France from new rules for amber list countries that allow double-jabbed travellers to escape up to ten days of home quarantine on their return, sparking anger among holidaymakers and the travel industry.
If France is added to the red list, returning Britons would be forced to pay up to £1,750 for a ten-day stay in a quarantine hotel – although there are only thought to be about 20,000 such rooms available and up to 500,000 Britons are estimated to be in France.
Mr Javid was appointed Health Secretary three weeks ago after Matt Hancock resigned. Leaked footage showed Mr Hancock breaching social distancing rules by embracing his aide Gina Coladangelo in his Westminster office.
Announcing his positive test on Twitter yesterday, Mr Javid – who has had two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine – wrote: 'I'm waiting for my PCR result, but thankfully I have had my jabs and symptoms are mild. Please make sure you come forward for your vaccine if you haven't already.'
He visited Aashna House care home in Streatham, South London, on Tuesday. All staff and residents have been vaccinated and the home said yesterday that it has no current Covid cases.
Mr Javid also visited a care home in South London on Tuesday, congratulating managers for vaccinating 100% of the staf
Mr Javid had his first Oxford-AstraZeneca jab on March 17 (left) and was given a follow up dose on May 16 (right)
In a more positive sign, SAGE today estimated England's R rate is between 1.2 and 1.4, down from last week's figure of between 1.2 and 1.5
Former prime minister Tony Blair has warned that 10million people will be isolating because of the 'pingdemic' by August 16 and the economy will be plunged into chaos.
Mr Blair's Institute for Global Change is due to publish a report tomorrow which predicts that the number of people forced to isolate because of the Test and Trace app could reach that figure by August 16.
On that date a 'test to release' scheme is expected to come into play which would let people stop self-isolating if they get a negative test result.
The report, Risks and Restrictions: Striking the Right Balance, will advise that people who have had both vaccines or is under 18 shouldn't have to self-isolate. And that people who have received one dose should be entitled to a 'fast release' if they test negative four days after being pinged.
And he adds that quarantine should be shortened from 10 days to seven even if someone tests positive.
He told The Sunday Times: 'The starting point for me is that you've got to have a consistent risk calculus. There's no point trying to obliterate risk in one part of the landscape while you're opening yourself up to substantial risk in another part.'
He added that treating vaccinated and unvaccinated people differently is the only way to achieve a 'consistent approach to risk'.
Pingdemic paralysis spreads: Marks and Spencer could shut early, rail services are axed, the post is hit, National Trust house closes, MOT bookings pile up and business close as millions go into Covid isolation
'Pingdemic' chaos is spreading across Britain today with more businesses announcing temporary closures and services facing delays due to the growing number of staff being told to self-isolate.
Rail users in the north of England and parts of Wales are being warned of delays - after a London tube line was closed entirely yesterday - due to a shortage of drivers.
Pubs, many of which are ramping-up staffing levels ahead of Monday's 'Freedom Day', are temporarily closing due to staff being ordered into isolation by the NHS Covid-19 app.
Hair salons, which are still recovering from months of lockdown, are also having to close, along with sports facilities.
Schools are also facing tough decisions on whether to move classes online close early for the summer due to rising numbers of teachers and staff in isolation.
Royal Mail sorting offices have also been hit, while garden waste collections in some areas have been suspended to allow isolation-hampered councils to focus on waste bins.
Meanwhile, as temperatures soar to 86F in some parts of England, some tourist attractions are having to close due to a lack of staff.
And today a warning was issued of a potential MOT backlog, with garages having to mass cancel bookings due to their mechanics being forced into isolation.
It comes as Transport for London (TfL) was yesterday forced to shut the Metropolitan tube line amid staff shortages.
M&S bosses also warned last night that store hours may have to be cut with up to one in five supermarket staff forced into Covid isolation.
Around 1.8million people were asked to self-isolate last week in England, data suggests. That includes 194,000 people who tested positive, 520,000 who were 'pinged' by the app, almost 340,000 who were contacted directly by Test and Trace, and 750,000 schoolchildren
Up to 1million people were asked to self-isolate last week, data suggests. But that figure could hit 5.6million by the end of the month, if cases spiral by 75 per cent every week (right), according to MailOnline analysis. Separate projections based on a growth rate of 40 per cent - similar to what Test and Trace reported last week - still says the number of people self-isolating could hit 3million a week. But the true figure will be much lower because many people who are told to self-isolate end up testing positive, and some people will be flagged down by both NHS Test and Trace and the app
Today, services on Northern trains are being disrupted. Customers are being advised not to travel between Sheffield and Leeds via Moorthorpe, between Leeds and Doncaster, from Sheffield to Lincoln and between Sheffield and York because of delays.
They are also warning passengers of busier than usual services on coastal routes as Britons flock to the beach today with temperatures set to soar.
In an alert issued today: 'A number of front-line staff have either tested positive for COVID or having to self-isolate.
'Due to this, there will be a number of alterations on some Northern routes today.
'In addition, Northern are also expecting busier services at popular leisure spots and routes out to the coast.
'Where possible, please try not to rely on the last service of the day.'
There are also reduced Transport of Wales services in the Cardiff area today due to a 'shortage of train drivers' - though the alert does not specifically say this is due to Covid isolation.
Meanwhile, more pubs are having to close due to a lack of staff. It comes as restrictions are set to be lifted tomorrow in what has been dubbed 'Freedom Day' in England.
One pub owner, Steve Lomas, who runs Suffolk-based pub chain Deben Inns, took to Twitter to share his frustration.
He said: 'Nine staff pinged, nine negative tests over five days and there still unable to come out of isolation. Business closed.
'Surely this is preposterous and is certainly unsustainable?'
Meanwhile, in Kendal, a market town on the edge of the Lake District, a pub has been forced to shut after weeks of battling to stay open in the face of staff shortages.
Bosses of The Duke and of Cumberland announced on their Facebook page last night: 'We have got a number of staff off or self isolating and we've been trying to keep going over the last couple of weeks on reduced staffing levels.
'Unfortunately two more staff have had to go off today so we will have to close for a few days until the full team is back.
'We don't want to let anybody down so have tried to stay open but at the same time we are struggling with only a few staff and we don't want to give you a bad experience or long waits when you visit.'
O'Neills in Reading, meanwhile, has now closed following a Covid-19 outbreak.
The pub had a sign on its front door, which reads: 'Unfortunately, following the return of positive Covid-19 tests within the team, and being instructed to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, we are closing the pub for a short time as a precautionary measure.'
It adds: 'We're sorry for any disappointment this may cause, but we'd like to thank our guests and our team for their support shown and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.'
Also in Reading, residents were told this on Friday that they will not have their garden waste collected for at least the next two weeks after several staff from the council's waste team were forced to self-isolate.
Meanwhile, a salon in West Yorkshire announced it was having to close due to an outbreak. Empire Hair salon, near Halifax, said on Facebook: ' It's took me a day to write this but I have had to close the doors for now at Empire.
'We have one staff member isolating, one showing symptoms and awaiting results.
'I felt for the safety of all our clients, and our staff I have decided to close our doors until we all have our tests results back, obviously hoping we won't have to self isolate.'
Today the National Trust announced that one of its sites is having to close due to staff shortages caused by isolation.
Announcing a temporary close of Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire, the trust said: 'Due partly to some staff self-isolating and awaiting results, mean the house will be temporarily closed on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July.
'The garden, woodland and tea room will remain open for visitors to enjoy. Thank you for your support.'
Today teaching unions warned schools faced having to close early for the summer holidays due to a teacher shortage.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said headteachers faced a 'grim situation' in deciding whether to close up a week early because of the number of staff in isolation.
He told the Observer: 'It is an absolutely grim situation and a depressing end to an academic year in which schools and colleges have been fighting to keep education running for their students despite waves of disruption caused by the pandemic.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said headteachers faced a 'grim situation' in deciding whether to close up a week early because of the number of staff in isolation
'Schools are remaining open until the end of term where possible but we are hearing more reports of some having to close because of Covid-related cases and absence among pupils and staff.'
It comes as Royal Mail warned earlier this week of postal delays in the Peterborough earlier this week due to staff having to self-isolate.
A Royal Mail spokesperson told the Peterborough Telegraph: 'A number of colleagues are self-isolating at the Orton Southgate Delivery Office following a positive case of COVID-19. We wish our colleague a speedy recovery.
'This temporary impact on staffing levels may result in some disruption to services and we apologise to any impacted customers in advance. We are working hard to restore normal service levels as quickly as possible.'
There is also now concern about delays to MOT services due to garage staff having to self-isolate due to the NHS Covid-19 app.
Jonathan Barbera, founder of Parkers MOT said concerns over staff catching the illness was now the 'biggest problem' facing garages.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: 'It's the biggest problem we've got so far. We've really tightened everything at work to try and avoid this.
'The problem is if one of them gets pinged then everyone else who they have come into contact with will also need to go into isolation.'
It comes as yesterday a London Tube line had to be suspended and two others partially closed due to a staff shortage triggered by workers being told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 app.
The Metropolitan line is suspended for rest of Saturday while the District and Piccadilly lines are partially closed until 9pm
The mass disruption tot the Tube network came after control room staff were alerted by the NHS Covid app on Saturday morning
The Metropolitan Line was not running yesterday after control room staff received an alert from the app this morning telling them to stay at home.
Services on the Piccadilly and District line were also affected, with partial closures to last until at least 9pm yesterday.
It comes as industry bosses are warning that Britain faces food shortages with shops being closed early and bins not emptied for ten weeks if urgent action is not taken to address the so-called 'pingdemic'.
Richard Jones, London Underground's head of network operations, said: 'Due to a shortage of control room staff who are having to self-isolate following notification this morning via the Test and Trace app, there will be no service on the Metropolitan line for the rest of the day.
'This will also impact the Piccadilly line with no service between South Harrow and Uxbridge and no service on the District line between High Street Kensington and Edgware.
'Services are expected to resume on the Piccadilly and District lines at 9pm this evening.
'We apologise to customers for the disruption. London Underground tickets will be accepted on local bus services.'
The suspension to Tube services comes after warnings to the Government over a 'surge' in workers and medics being forced into self-isolation over coronavirus contacts when most restrictions end in England on Monday.
Transport unions have said there will be 'dire consequences' next week when staff are 'pinged' as the level of infections rise.
It comes after Transport for London (TfL) had to scramble to find cover on the day of the Euro 2020 final, after a staff shortage due to workers being 'pinged' risked the Bakerloo line having to be suspended an hour before kick-off.
Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) general secretary Mick Lynch previously warned that Monday 'will see a surge in workers pinged with a self-isolation instruction next week'.
'Even at this late stage, the Government, the train operators and the bus companies should issue a clear, legally backed instruction that levels up the rest of the UK to the safety standards that will remain in force in Wales and Scotland,' he said.
Elsewhere in the country, passengers were warned of alterations on some Northern routes this weekend due to a number of front-line staff either testing positive for Covid-19 or having to self-isolate.
According to the National Rail Enquiries website, trains may be cancelled in both directions on services connecting Huddersfield, Sheffield and Lincoln, Sheffield with Leeds, Retford and York and between Leeds and Doncaster.
Meanwhile, West Midlands Trains warned yesterday that the number of staff having to self-isolate by the NHS Test and Trace app had 'quadrupled' in recent weeks, leading to 'trains being cancelled at short notice and fewer carriages being available on some services'.
The Metropolitan Line suspension in London today came as Wembley Stadium, near to Wembley Park station on the north-west section of the line, prepared to host thousands of fans for the rugby league Challenge Cup final at 3pm.
The station is also serviced by the Jubilee line which was still running, while Wembley Stadium and Wembley Central stations are also near the ground.
It follows estimates which suggest the UK economy is expected to be hit by £4billion in losses after it reopens fully on Monday's 'Freedom Day' because workers are being forced to stay at home after being told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid app.
Marks and Spencer said it will be forced to reduce its opening hours and because of the sheer number of staff told to remain at home after coming into contact with an infected person.
Staff shortages at ports and in the meat industry mean supermarket shelves could be left empty, with supply chains badly affected
The number of alerts sent out in relation to venues also more than doubled in seven days
And Jeremy Hunt, the former Health Secretary, today claimed the app needs to be changed, adding that a quarter of junior doctors are currently in isolation.
Ministers have said the lifting of restrictions on Monday is likely to push daily infections to more than 100,000, which could force around half a million a day to self-isolate.
Analysis by MailOnline suggests that in a worst-case scenario around six million adults could be in isolation by the end of the month.
Britain's daily infection toll breached 50,000 yesterday for the first time since January. Anyone who tests positive is told to self-isolate and has their contacts traced.
But because the Bluetooth phone app 'pings' all those who have been in close contact with positive cases, the number of people self-isolating at home at any one time is far higher.
Unlike those people contacted by phone, it is not a legal requirement to self-isolate after being pinged by the app. But Downing Street today made it clear it expects people to do so.
It raises the prospect of the economy grinding to a halt due to a chronic lack of available workers, even after the lockdown is supposed to have ended .
Business leaders and trade unionists from across all sector of the economy lined up to warn the Government that a major rethink is needed, because the current situation is not sustainable.
A fifth of all private sector workers are currently having to self-isolate, according to industrial analysis
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