UKWA demands warehouse workers be made exempt from self-isolation as 40% are hit by “pingdemic”.

The UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) is calling on the government to make its workers exempt from self-isolation, with 40% currently isolating as a result of the “pingdemic”.

Clare Bottle, UKWA chief executive, has written an open letter to Department of Transport (DfT) under-secretary Rachel Maclean, making a case for logistics workers to be exempt to prevent further shortages of supplies.

“During the earlier phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, logistics workers, including warehouse workforces, benefitted from “essential worker” status, which helped our members and the wider logistics community to maintain critical supply chains, including food and pharmaceutical supplies," Bottle said. "We believe that exemption from self-isolation should now apply to this sector by default, which would be in line with the earlier position of the government and straightforward to implement.”

Hopes that fully vaccinated critical workers would be able to avoid self-isolating when recommended to do so by the Track-and-Trace app, after it was mooted by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were dashed when the government later insisted that would only apply to a “very low number of people” and that employers would be obliged to make individual applications for the exemption.

However as millions of workers are being forced to isolate as a result of being notified by the app, leading to food shortage in supermarkets and businesses struggling to operate, the government is coming under increasing pressure to reconsider its position.

Bottle added: “While we welcome the news that supermarket workers and food manufacturers will be now exempt from quarantine, warehouse workers form a critical part of supply chains not only for food, but for pharmaceuticals and other essential supplies too. Although members have been affected to different degrees, some have reported up to 40% of staff self-isolating. Therefore we’re also seeking urgent clarification from the government on the process for individuals and businesses to apply for exemption.”