Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will not be self-isolating after they were contacted by NHS Track and Trace.
Johnson and Sunak were identified as contacts of someone who had tested positive for the virus, but Downing Street said the pair will not be isolating.
Instead, they will be taking part in a daily contact testing pilot, which will allow them to continue working from Downing Street.
A No. 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.
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"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 daily contact testing workplace pilot currently covers 20 organisations from private and public sectors, including Downing Street, Network Rail, TfL (Transport for London), Heathrow Airport and Border Force.
The pilot scheme requires participating organisations to have asymptomatic testing sites set up at the workplace.
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While eligible individuals - assessed on a case-by-case basis - may continue going to their workplace, they must self-isolate when not working.
Heath secretary Sajid Javid announced yesterday (17 July) that he had tested positive for the virus, saying he would be isolating.
He said: "My positive result has now been confirmed by PCR test, so I will continue to isolate and work from home."
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Javid is reported to have had a lengthy meeting with the Prime Minister at No. 10 on Friday (16 July).
While many coronavirus restrictions will lift in England tomorrow (19 July), the rules on self-isolating for contacts of people who test positive are not eased until 16 August - when those who are double-jabbed will be able to take tests rather than quarantine at home.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said members of the public who are pinged by the NHS app should still self-isolate in the meantime.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: "It is correct that the Cabinet Office and Downing Street are part of the pilot. I am not aware that other (government) departments are.
"It means that you can be tested every day in specialist asymptomatic testing centres such at the one that has been set up in Downing Street.
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"It means that the Chancellor and the Prime Minister will be able to conduct the most essential Government meetings but the rest of their time will have to be spent isolating and not meeting up with family or friends or socialising. So it is relatively restrictive.
"I entirely appreciate that this isn't available yet to wider members of the public and the frustration that they might feel listening to this.
"Other members of the public who are pinged will have to self-isolate in the usual way and that is a really important part of our plan to keep Covid under control."
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: UK News, News, Boris Johnson, rishi sunak
