SHELVES in a major Glasgow supermarket were lying empty today as the dual pressures of the so-called pingdemic and the heatwave mount. 

Bottled water was in short supply at the St Rollox Tesco in Springburn, pictures show. 

Glasgow Times:

It comes amid growing calls for the Government to bring forward the date at which people who are double vaccinated against coronavirus can avoid self-isolation as emergency measures to protect food supplies were launched yesterday. 

Glasgow Times:

The phenomenon, which is thought to be disrupting the supply of essentials throughout the UK has been dubbed by the media as the "pingdemic", due to people referring to receiving a notification on their NHS Track and Trace app, telling them to self-isolate, as being "pinged". 

Glasgow Times:

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed changes to coronavirus self-isolation rules in Scotland to help key industries cope with “significant” staff shortages.

Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would now consider applications for exemptions from the requirement to stay at home for up to 10 days that results from being a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

The change is aimed at allowing what are described as “essential staff in critical roles” to return to work to provide “lifeline services and critical national infrastructure”, the Scottish Government said.

Exemptions will only be granted to those who have had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, if the second dose was administered at least two weeks ago. They will also require to have a negative PCR test and do daily lateral flow tests.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Applications for exemptions are being considered from today and we will consider applications as they come in.”

She added that “clinical evidence tells us we can safely and effectively release some critical staff from self-isolation, with appropriate safeguards”.