26th Jul 2021

GovernmentGuidance for NHS Test & Trace in the workplace
The updated part on Critical Services

In the small number of situations where the self-isolation of close contacts would result in serious disruption to critical services, a limited number of named workers may be able to leave self-isolation under specific controls for the purpose of undertaking critical work only.

This process is only intended to run until 16 August 2021, when fully vaccinated close contacts will be exempt from self-isolation.

This policy applies to named workers in specifically approved workplaces who are fully vaccinated (defined as someone who is 14 days post-final dose) and who have been identified as close contacts. Permission to attend work is contingent on following certain controls, agreed by the Department of Health and Social Care, to mitigate the risk of increased infection. This is not a blanket exemption for all workers in a sector.

The test that is applied when identifying if an individual could attend work is whether they work in critical elements of national infrastructure and whether their absence would be likely to lead to the loss or compromise of this infrastructure…

The process is exceptional for these specific circumstances. It is not intended to avoid all disruption to services that will result from the need for people to self-isolate.

The process will not cover all or in most cases even the majority of workers in critical sectors.

Where employers believe the self-isolation of certain key employees as contacts would result in serious disruption to critical services, they should contact the relevant government department (see table below) . They should provide information on:
•    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)

Department    Main sectors covered                 Contact details
BEIS                Energy                                      beisquarantine.exemptions@beis.gov.uk
                        Civil nuclear 

DCMS             Digital infrastructure                dcms.coronavirus@dcms.gov.uk

Defra               Food production and supply     emergencies@defra.gov.uk
                        Waste
                        Water
                        Veterinary Medicines
                         Essential chemicals
DfT                  Essential transport                    cv19pmo@dft.gov.uk
DHSC              Medicines                                 covid19.criticalworker@dhsc.gov.uk
                         Medical devices
                         Clinical consumable supplies    
Home Office    Emergency services                 covid19operationsandpolicy@homeoffice.gov.uk
                         Border control
MoD                 Essential defence outputs        spo-covidteam@mod.gov.uk
MHCLG           Local government                   lgresponse@communities.gov.uk