The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for clarification on who is exempt from self-isolation after facing disruptions due to NHS app ‘pings’.
Data from the Department of Health and Social Care revealed that 8,604 people have been asked to isolate in Oxford in the last two weeks.
Oxford City Council reported experiencing driver shortages due to self-isolation, which has resulted in delayed bin collections.
James Jamieson, chairman of the LGA, said: “Large numbers of close contacts being required to self-isolate is having an impact on some council services due to staff shortages.”
Earlier in the week, Vale of White Horse District Council apologised for the delayed bin collection and confirmed that they expect the disruption to go on for a while longer.
While the latest announcement from the government allows critical services employees to keep working and avoid self-isolation, some council services will remain affected in the near future due to the complicated approval process, warned Mr. Jamieson.
He added: “Clarity is urgently needed about what their role will be with regards to the application of exemptions locally while messaging from Government must be crystal clear to avoid raising unrealistic expectations. The exemption approval process must also be quick and clear to understand.
“While we continue to discuss with Government the implications of this guidance for local government, it appears it will not help alleviate the pressure on some important – albeit non-critical – local services.
“Residents will need to bear with us if they experience disruption to some services if councils are forced to prioritise services that protect the most vulnerable in their communities.”
Has your bin collections been affected this week? Let us know in the comments.
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