PM and Chancellor WILL now self-isolate after u-turn - The Worcester Observer

PM and Chancellor WILL now self-isolate after u-turn

Worcester Editorial 18th Jul, 2021   0

PRIME Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will now isolate after being a close contact of Health Secretary and county MP Sajid Javid who has tested positive for coronavirus.

After the Bromsgrove MP went into quarantine yesterday (Saturday), Downing Street initially said both men would not isolate and instead take part in a pilot scheme whereby they would be tested daily.

However less than two hours later, Number 10 has now confirmed both will follow the Test and Trace rules after fury from critics who branded the initial move as ‘one rule for us, one rule for them’.

A staggering 530,126 people nationwide were told by NHS Test and Trace to isolate last week after being identified as being a close contact of a person with coronavirus.




Yet first thing this morning (Sunday), a Number 10 spokesperson said; “The Prime Minister and Chancellor have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace as contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID.

“They will be participating in the daily contact testing pilot to allow them to continue to work from Downing Street.


“They will be conducting only essential government business during this period.”

The initial announcement sparked fury against a backdrop of businesses in Worcestershire and further afield struggling to maintain proper staffing levels and schools closing early for the summer holidays because of a lack of staff or breaches to the Covid ‘bubbles’.

As a result both have been forced into a humiliating u-turn with the Prime Minister remaining at Chequers in isolation for 10 days, despite tomorrow being dubbed ‘Freedom Day’ where the last of the coronavirus restrictions will be lifted.

The United Kingdom recorded 54,674 new Covid cases yesterday (Saturday) and 41 new deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.

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