The Adam Smith Institute estimates 1.73 million people are currently isolating across the UK due after being pinged by app or contacted by Test and Trace as Boris Johnson u-turns on isolating

• 1.73 million people currently isolating after being pinged by Matthew Hancock’s NHS app or contacted by Test and Trace

• 5.8 million people forced to isolate since start of May

• If the Government does not change approach, the weekly isolation figure could increase to 5.2 million people by mid-August

Adam Smith Institute analysis projects 1.73 million people are currently isolating after being pinged by the app or contacted by a test and trace service across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have been forced to isolate after Health Secretary Sajid Javid tested positive for Covid-19. This is despite both others being double jabbed, less likely to get the virus and highly unlikely to suffer a serious bout of Covid-19.

ASI analysis has found that 5.8 million people have been forced to isolate since the start of May. The ASI is projecting that as many as 5.2 million people could be forced to isolate by the app and test and trace by mid-August, based on the current case trajectory.

The pingdemic has resulted in thousands of businesses shutting their doors and reducing operations, due to large numbers of staff having to isolate. The lost revenue just as the Treasury is taking away Covid-19 support programs risks the closure of many businesses and the needless transformation of a viral risk from Covid-19 into a credit risk across the economy. 

Office for National Statistics figures suggest one quarter of isolators face financial hardship. This means fully vaccinated individuals are being forced to decide between a real risk of lost livelihood and a much lower risk of having or passing along the virus. 

The ASI is calling on the Government to take a risk-based approach to isolation, including reduced requirements for fully vaccinated individuals and those who have not had substantial exposure to an infected individual. 

Matthew Kilcoyne, Deputy Director at the Adam Smith Institute, says: 

“Boris Johnson is just one of millions who are being forced to isolate, despite being double vaccinated. The Prime Minister will carry on working and getting paid, but millions don’t have the luxury of working from home or having flexible shifts. 

“NHS app and test and trace induced isolation is causing substantial financial distress and threatening the viability of thousands of businesses, as large numbers of staff are forced to isolate. Freedom Day will mean quite the opposite for 1.7m currently locked away and the millions more over the coming weeks who will be told to isolate despite posing little risk to others.”

Note to editors:

For further comments or to arrange an interview, contact Matt Kilcoyne: matt@adamsmith.org | 07584778207.

The Adam Smith Institute is a free market, neoliberal think tank based in London. It advocates classically liberal public policies to create a richer, freer world.

The ASI estimates that each case leads to 5.76 individuals isolating based on data from previous weeks across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This includes 3.05 from the app and 2.34 contacted directly by test and trace services.