'United Pingdom:' Firms in England fret over staff shortages

LONDON (AP) — Businesses in England warned Monday that a “pingdemic” of people receiving notifications on their phones telling them to self-isolate because of contact with coronavirus cases threatens to lead to widespread staff shortages and mayhem across the economy just as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Though many businesses, notably nightclubs, have cheered Monday's lifting of all remaining lockdown restrictions on social contact, they are increasingly grappling with staff shortages as the National Health Service's test and trace app informs people to self-isolate for coming into close proximity with someone who has tested positive for the virus. Supermarket chain Iceland and pub owner Greene King are two firms that have had to close certain sites as a result of the self-isolation requirements.

There are also warnings of shortages of goods in supermarkets, cuts in production at factories and potential transport chaos, as illustrated by Saturday's closure of the Metropolitan Line on the London Underground, due to key staff being pinged.

Mike Lynch, general secretary of The Rail, Maritime and Transport union warned that so-called “Freedom day” could "very easily collapse into chaos day.”

Hundreds of thousands of people are having to self-isolate for 10 days after being informed by the National Health Service's test and trace app that they have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. More than 26 million people have downloaded the app in England and Wales.

Two of those self-isolating are Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, who were both pinged after coming into contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who subsequently tested positive for the virus. The pair initially tried on Sunday to get round the requirement to quarantine by...