NICOLA Sturgeon has confirmed changes to coronavirus self-isolation rules in Scotland to help key industries cope with “significant” staff shortages.
Key workers in critical roles will be able to avoid self-isolation after close contact with Covid-19 if they are fully vaccinated and tested daily.
The First Minister said the Scottish Government would now consider applications for exemptions from the requirement to stay at home for up to 10 days that results from being a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
The change is aimed at allowing what are described as “essential staff in critical roles” to return to work to provide “lifeline services and critical national infrastructure”, the Scottish Government said.
Exemptions will only be granted to those who have had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, if the second dose was administered at least two weeks ago. They will also require to have a negative PCR test and do daily lateral flow tests.
Affected industries will have to apply to the Scottish Government for staff to be exempt from the mandatory quarantine rules and health and social care staff are not included in the change.
If the government deems a critical role can be exempt, the worker will still have to prove they have had two doses of coronavirus vaccine at least two weeks prior to any close contact, have a negative PCR test and agree to carry out lateral flow tests for 10 days after the contact.
The Scottish Government announcement states that exemptions will be made on a temporary basis and last only for as long as there is an immediate risk to business or service continuity.
Sturgeon said: “It is essential that lifeline services and critical national infrastructure are maintained and we are implementing these changes now – ahead of possible changes to self-isolation rules for close contacts that may apply more generally in future – to ensure staff shortages do not put key services at risk.
“We have seen significant staff shortages in a small number of organisations in recent days and we have worked with them to protect services.
“Applications for exemptions are being considered from today and we will consider applications as they come in.
“Clinical evidence tells us we can safely and effectively release some critical staff from self-isolation, with appropriate safeguards.
“However, this is a very limited change at this stage, to be applied on a case-by-case basis and only where absolutely necessary.
“We will not allow key services to be threatened by staff shortages, but equally we must continue to protect public health.”
Some health boards have also said they are under pressure amid staff shortages partly due to the number of staff having to self-isolate.
If the government deems a critical role can be exempt, the worker will still have to prove they have had two doses of coronavirus vaccine at least two weeks prior to any close contact, have a negative PCR test and agree to carry out lateral flow tests for 10 days after the contact.
The Scottish Government announcement states that exemptions will be made on a temporary basis and last only for as long as there is an immediate risk to business or service continuity.
READ MORE: Health board to 'prioritise urgent care for vulnerable' amid pandemic pressure
Applications for isolation exemption can be made via the Scottish Government website and will be required to demonstrate the organisation is part of the country’s critical infrastructure, what steps have been taken to address pressure on the sector, and the impact of no action.
They will also have to set out the intended scope of exemption, such as the location and number of staff affected.
The Government says that any exemption process for health, social care and local services will be different and announced at an as-yet-unconfirmed date.
The UK Government has said that from today, key parts of the food industry will be allowed to do daily Covid testing instead of asking staff to self-isolate as fears of food shortages have heightened in recent days.
In Scotland, around one in 80 people are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to July 17 – up from one in 90 in the previous week and the highest level since the ONS infection survey began in Scotland at the end of October 2020.
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