Proposed process for transport workers receiving exemptions to leave self-isolation to perform critical work

The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued new guidance on the proposed process for transport workers receiving exceptions to leave self-isolation to perform critical work. Details below.

The Government has also updated its guidance for NHS Test and Trace in the workplace, which you can view here.

DfT’s new guidance states that:

As you may be aware, the Prime Minister recently announced that a limited number of fully vaccinated workers in critical roles, who have been identified as contacts of a positive case, may be permitted to continue to attend work as long as they are double vaccinated (with the final dose 14 days prior), do not have symptoms, and have tested negative via both a PCR, and daily lateral flow (LFD) tests.

This is a short-term measure before the exemption from self-isolation for fully vaccinated contacts is introduced on 16 August, and is only intended for exceptional circumstances, where there would be a major detrimental impact on essential services or critical national infrastructure, if staff could not attend work.

The attached process is intended to be used only for very limited exceptional cases and therefore all requests will be subject to the appropriate level of scrutiny.

This process is not designed to mitigate acute shortages of lorry drivers.

Attached are the three documents.

1. The Roads Transport Self-Isolation Exemption Process
2. A Q&A on critical worker exemptions
3. A template to complete in full if you feel you meet the requirements set out

Please send all correspondence relating to exceptions to leave self-isolation to [email protected]

Additional information will be published on www.gov.uk later today.