Trade bodies urge government to not rush into ending Covid self-isolation

Leading retail bodies have urged caution over the lifting of Covid self-isolation laws, saying that “retailers will need further details of the plans” and that the move will “put shop workers at greater risk”.

Following prime minister Boris Johnson’s indication that all remaining Covid restrictions in England - including the legal rule to self-isolate - could end later this month, retail trade union Usdaw today (10) cautioned the government to not rush into lifting all Covid rules.

“Lifting the self-isolation rules will inevitably lead to more Covid infected people circulating in public and entering shops. Coupled with last month’s unnecessary end to mandatory face coverings in stores, that leaves shopworkers at greater risk of catching the virus and taking it home to their families,” Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary said.

“Even without the legal requirement to isolate, more people catching Covid will mean more sickness absence, reduced staffing levels and disruption in workplaces. Being ill has a huge financial impact on low paid workers, as too many are forced to live on Statutory Sick Pay of just £96.35 per week. Thanks to trade unions, Statutory Sick Pay has been paid from day one during the pandemic. This must continue and the level of sick pay should be increased.

The union is backing Labour’s 10 point plan for living with Covid, which was published last month.

British Retail Consortium (BRC), meanwhile, is asking customers to remain “considerate of those around them” and to “avoid retail settings” if they are showing symptoms.

“The Prime Minister’s suggestion that they will roll back all remaining Covid restrictions a month early, including the legal requirement to self-isolate, may further speed the return to a more normal experience for customers, employees and businesses, however, retailers will need further details of the plans,” stated the BRC’s director of business and regulation, Tom Ironside.

“Retailers ask customers to be considerate of those around them and avoid retail settings if they are showing Covid symptoms. Meanwhile, they will continue to implement many of the existing safety measures such as hand sanitiser and perspex screens throughout their stores.”

Under the current rules, anyone who tests positive must self-isolate for at least five full days. The current restrictions are due to expire on 24 March.

However, Johnson told MPs on Wednesday (9) that the last domestic rules would end early as long as the positive trends in the data continued.