One in five NHS Covid app users have turned off contact-tracing and a tenth have deleted it all together, according to a new survey, which comes amid growing fears over the so-called 'pingdemic'.
The new survey shows a fifth of Covid app users have either turned off their bluetooth of their mobile phones - essentially stopping its contact-tracing function.
One in ten have deleted the app altogether, according to the YouGov poll, while one in three Britons have also been avoiding using the app to check in at venues.
The new survey comes as Number 10 is today rolling out urgent plans to keep good moving by speeding up tests for HGV drivers.
And in a desperate bid to keep shelves stocked, the Government is also looking at the possibility of letting shop staff avoid isolation if 'pinged'.
It comes as the ministers aim to counter-act the impact 'pingdemic' - with businesses and services being crippled by staff shortages due to the number of people being told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 app.
Around 1.7million people are currently thought to be isolating after being notified by app or contacted by Test & Trace, with weary Britons complaining of fuel and food shortages, bin collection cancellations, railways delays, and scores of school and business closures today amid fears of a 'Summer of Discontent'.
Royal Mail today became the latest victim of the pingdemic, announcing 12 areas where post could be delayed due to the staff having to isolate.
The Government has already announced that critical frontline NHS and social care staff will be able to avoid self-isolation to go to work if they are double-jabbed - weeks before the policy is supposed to be rolled out across England.
And more key worker jobs could also be given the early exemption, it was today revealed. Downing Street said it had not ruled out fully vaccinated supermarket workers being exempted from isolation under new plans.
But the Prime Minister's official said there will be no list covering individual sectors.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'It's not a blanket exemption and my understanding is we're not going to be producing a list covering individual sectors, these business-critical areas will be able to apply for exemptions to their host departments.
The new survey shows a fifth of Covid app users have either turned off their bluetooth of their mobile phones - essentially stopping its contact-tracing function
One in five NHS Covid app users have turned off contact-tracing and a tenth have deleted it all together, according to a new survey, which comes amid growing fears over the so-called 'pingdemic'
One in ten have deleted the app altogether, according to the YouGov poll, while one in three Britons have also been avoiding using the app to check in at venues
The new survey (pictured: A bar graph showing the results) comes as Number 10 is today rolling out urgent plans to keep good moving by speeding up tests for HGV drivers
'There won't be a list covering individual sectors... it's important that anyone who feels they're in a critical industry or wants to raise potential issues because of isolation are able to contact departments and get advice and where necessary get exemptions.'
Asked specifically about supermarket workers, he said: 'We're not seeking to draw lines specifically around who or who is not exempt. What's important is to make sure critical services are able to function and get that balance right between requiring people to isolate... but also making sure critical services can function.'
Downing Street was unable to say how many fully vaccinated workers will experience loosened isolation rules under Boris Johnson's new plans.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'I don't have a specific number for you at the moment. As these discussions proceed we might have a clearer sense of the numbers, but as the Prime Minister set out yesterday it will be a very low number of people.'
Asked if it will be on the scale of hundreds or thousands, the spokesman said: 'I wouldn't want to set specific numbers on it at this point.'
Meanwhile, the Government today announced a package of measures to help tackle the current HGV driver shortage.
In an open letter to the road haulage sector, ministers have pledged to work with industry leaders to attract new drivers, simplify training and encourage people to stay in the industry.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says is now consulting on streamlining the test process by combining the articulated and rigid lorry tests - which it hopes will increase the number of test slots available.
The consultation will also look at allowing trainers to examine drivers in the off-road manoeuvres part of the HGV driving test, and look at whether specific car and trailer tests should be required. This will allow a significant increase in the number of HGV driving tests to be conducted whilst maintaining road safety standards.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: 'I want to thank all those in the road haulage industry who have worked so hard throughout the pandemic to provide such a vital service.
'I understand the challenges faced by drivers and operators right now, and while longer-term solutions must be led first and foremost by industry leaders, today we are saying this Government is here to help.
'This set of measures will kickstart that help, easing pressure on the sector as we work together to attract new drivers, improve conditions and ensure the industry’s future is a prosperous one.'
Meanwhile, Royal Mail today warned of 13 areas across England where post could be delayed due to the impact of the 'pingdemic'.
Royal Mail today warned of 13 areas across England where post could be delayed due to the impact of the 'pingdemic'. Pictured: Library image of a postal worker on his round in York
On the Royal Mail website, it says today: 'Due to resourcing issues, associated self-isolation and safety measures, deliveries in some areas may be disrupted this week.
A spokesperson added: 'The health and safety of our colleagues and our customers is our number one priority. In a limited number of areas, we are experiencing some disruption to service due to COVID related absences.
'In impacted areas, we are focused on providing as comprehensive a service as possible to our customers.'
The areas are: Bath, Blackpool, Chorley, Debden, Enfield, Henley on Thames, Middleton, Newton Abbot, Plympton, Rochdale, Southport, Worthing.
Around 1.7million people are thought to be currently isolating at home after being notified by the app or contacted by Test & Trace, with the problem set to get much worse as cases keep rising.
More than a million pupils were out of the classroom last week, according to new Department of Education data, with 81,000 reporting a confirmed or suspected case of Covid and the rest self-isolating following a positive contact.
With the summer break just 48 hours away, parents are pulling their children out of classrooms to avoid having their staycations ruined, amid warnings from travel bosses that a lack of staff will leave holiday lets and attractions unable to open.
Staff shortages fueled by self-isolating staff have seen green bin deliveries suspended in at least eight council areas, including Liverpool and Bristol, as shoppers took pictures of empty shelves and oil giant BP blamed petrol shortages at an M25 service station on the closure of a distribution centre.
Yet more schools, libraries, art galleries and hospitality venues today revealed fresh tales of woe, with one Bournemouth restaurant losing thousands of pounds after having to cancel 100 table covers when one chef received an app notification.
And in yet another economic blow, the pound plunged to its lowest level against the dollar for five months as investors fretted about a surge in infections that experts say will be exacerbated by Freedom Day. As of midday, one pound was worth 1.36 dollars - its lowest level since February.
Residents in Stockton-on-Tees will now only receive fortnightly general waste collections after 27 out of the council's 77 binmen went into self-isolation, making weekly rounds 'impossible'. Pictured is resident Sarah Raby next to her packed bin
There have been reports of empty shelves in supermarkets amid disruption to supply chains and huge numbers of staff off self-isolating
BP today highlighted 'fuel supply issues' at some garages, blaming 'industry-wide driver shortages' together with the closure of a distribution due to staff isolating
The Long Eaton Art Room, a community art centre in Nottingham, has had to abandon drop-in sessions and only run pre-arranged workshops after being forced to close several times due to staff being pinged.
Explaining the decision, they wrote on Facebook: 'Every time we get pinged by the app we need to close, we are aiming to avoid that as much as possible and feel that set workshops will help us.'
Long Eaton Art Room
Shakespeare's Coffee Shop in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, is closing for the week.
The management wrote on Facebook: 'It is with great regret that we have had to close the coffee shop and library this week due to lots of staff isolating, after being informed by the COVID app. It's 'Freedom Day' and everyone has to stay at home. The irony.'
MR Barbers in Ely will remain shut until July 24 while its barbers are self-isolating.
Karl Foster, Director of MR Barbers group, said that the Ely branch is one of three barbershops in the nation-wide chain affected by the 'pingdemic'.
'We have 10 barbers that would normally be serving around 750 clients over the 10-day isolation period,' he told the Ely Standard. 'That's a lot of potentially unhappy customers and a lot of lost business.'
MR Barbers in Ely
Mark Cribb, owner of the Urban Reef restaurant and bar in Bournemouth, said he was losing thousands of pounds a night after being forced to shut his seafront bar on Mondays and Tuesdays due to staff shortages.
'The concern is that all of a sudden the pingdemic is going to take over,' he told Channel 4 News.
'In one of our restaurants last week we had over 100 people booked in on a Monday but one of our chefs got pinged so we had to phone all of them to cancel.
'Usually on a lovely evening we'd take thousands of pounds but on a Monday and Tuesday night at the moment we have had to close because of the lack of staff.'
Urban Reef restaurant and bar in Bournemouth
Tracy Standish, the owner of Bowl Central, a Bournemouth bowling venue, told Channel Four News: 'We've got a supervisor isolating at the moment. Every day you are concerned to get the news that you are going to lose more vital members.
'At the moment we are trading seven days a week at the moment but you are constantly under pressure. It is very stressful.'
Bowl Central in Bournemouth
The Factory Tap, a real ale bar in Kendal, is having to close early at 10pm on Friday and 9pm on Saturday because of a shortage of staff having to self-isolate.
The venue wrote on Facebook: 'We need 30% more staff to serve 75 per cent of our normal custom. Having staff isolate means we cannot operate and would have to close.
'We have been closing earlier than normal 10pm Friday and Saturday 9pm for the rest of the week, we intend to continue this.
'We close at these times for a very good reason, we are either understaffed and unable to provide the service required or are knackered and have just had enough!'
The Rose and Crown in Winlaton, Tyne and
