Covid: Almost half of young adults have had to self-isolate during pandemic
Almost half of young adults in the UK have been forced to self-isolate at least once during the pandemic, a new survey has revealed.
Research by Yougov showed 46 per cent of Brits aged 18 to 24 have quarantined at least once after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid.
For the population as a whole, this figure stands at 20 per cent.
It comes amid rising pressure on the government to ease self-isolation rules amid a surge in the number of people being asked to self-isolate.
Ministers have now expanded a daily testing scheme for critical workers such as police, firefighters, border staff and transport workers to help combat the so-called pingdemic.
The government announced earlier this week that thousands of workers in the food industry would be able to avoid isolation through a new testing regime.
The move followed complaints from bosses in several sectors that the growing number of people being told to self-isolate was causing severe staff shortages.
Figures released this week show 618,903 were told to self-isolate by the app.
Some retailers have had to close stores as a result of the pingdemic, but have said food shortages were not likely to persist.
The crisis has also prompted many businesses to call for the relaxation of quarantine rules to be brought forward.
Under current plans people who have had both doses of the vaccine will be able to avoid isolation when they come into contact with a positive case from 16 August.