BREAKING NEWS: Boris Johnson apologises to businesses over quarantine

PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has apologised to UK businesses after more than half a million people have been told to quarantine by the NHS’s test and trace programme.

Boris Johnson apologised for the impact of the programme on businesses after many have been left without workers after being told to quarantine in the UK.

He said: “Everybody understands the inconvenience of being pinged.”

He added: “I apologise to everybody in business up and down the land in all kinds of services – public sector or otherwise – who are experiencing inconvenience.

“We will be switching, as the House knows, to a system based on contact testing rather than contact isolation – but, until then, I just must remind everybody that isolation is a vital tool of our defence against the disease.”

The news comes after Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were ‘pinged’ after Javid caught the potentially deadly coronavirus.

The Health Secretary, Sajid Javid confirmed late on Saturday night that his initial positive rapid lateral flow test for the coronavirus has now been confirmed with a PCR test. This had left officials wondering who would be pinged after having been in close contact with him over the previous days.

The pair initially said they would take part in a pilot scheme to allow them to avoid quarantine, but later announced they would both quarantine.

A number 10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister and Chancellor have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace as contacts of someone who has tested positive for Covid.

“They will be participating in the daily contact testing pilot to allow them to continue to work from Downing Street.

“They will be conducting only essential government business during this period.”

The pair later said they would quarantine following public outrage that only some organisations were allowed to use the pilot scheme in the UK.

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