DOWNING Street was forced into another U-turn as they announced police, fire crews and some Border Force staff at ports can skip isolation regardless of vaccine status.
So will those at the most critical parts of transport and freight systems.
Amid growing alarm at the sheer scale of the pingdemic crisis, No 10 has scrambled to free more essential workers from the draconian rules.
Along with food distribution workers, thousands of these frontline staff will be able to take daily tests so they can carry on with their duties if they are pinged by the NHS Covid app.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Daily testing will keep our frontline teams safe while they continue to serve the public and communities across our country.”
Ministers acted amid growing fears the isolation rules were leaving police forces dangerously overstretched and could see entire train lines grind to a halt.
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But raging pub, restaurant and shop bosses were furious that their workers have been left off the list.
In another day of pingdemic chaos, food shoppers faced more empty shelves while train operators across England and London’s Tube network cut services.
And pubs and restaurants warned of a “summer of venue closures”.
