Frontline workers paralysed by Pingdemic chaos will get access to 200 new testing sites from Monday - but there is still confusion as to who will use them and why the government has taken so long to act.
Some police, firefighters, Border Force staff and transport workers were already eligible for a self-isolation exemption, but only if their employers specified their names and they were double-jabbed against Covid-19.
The Government on Saturday said in a statement that an expected initial extra 200 testing sites would be opened so that daily contact testing could be 'rolled out to further critical workplaces in England'.
But currently around 2.3million people from critical areas and jobs have been forced into isolation due to being pinged.
And it sparked harsh words from some sectors over the lack of clarity from the authorities.
Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, added: 'We desperately need this detail and need it quickly.
'The last we heard, communication could be coming on Monday, so we have a long weekend to get through yet. We need a sense of urgency here.'
Some 200 new test centres are going to be set up throughout the country to try and stem the chaos caused by the pindemic
Freedom day has prompted an extraordinary onslaught of pings to people following the coronavirus rules still left
Richard Harrow, chief executive of the Frozen Food Federation, said: 'The Government announcement last night that parts of the supply chain will be allowed to test and release workers that are pinged by Track and Trace only goes part of the way.
'It shows that yet again Government does not understand how connected the food supply chain is. Only opening part is unlikely to solve the overall issue. Plus, who is in and who is out, who decides and how do they decide?
'Confusion continues to pervade and I have been advised no list until Monday. This is worse than useless.'
Home Secretary Priti Patel insisted: 'Daily testing will keep our frontline teams safe while they continue to serve the public and communities across our country.'
The expansion came after the Government on Thursday announced its programme would allow thousands of workers at up to 500 sites in the food sector to avoid the need to self-isolate if identified as a contact of a coronavirus case, and instead take daily Covid tests.
Discontent with the Government's self-isolation policy was growing at the weekend as food industry bosses condemned changes to ease the 'pingdemic' , hospitality leaders warned of a summer of closures and train operators were forced to cut services.
Pressure has mounted on Downing Street to bring forward the date at which people who are double vaccinated against coronavirus can avoid self-isolation.
There were increasing calls for Boris Johnson to bring forward his wider relaxation of quarantine rules for the fully vaccinated from August 16 as businesses were hampered by staff being told to isolate as coronavirus cases soar.
The empty bottled water shelves in Tesco in Cambridge on Thursday morning due to the 'pingdemic'
Empty shelves in Asda as Britain was caught in a perfect storm of staff shortages and a lack of lorry drivers
Empty shelves and signs on the soft drinks aisle of a Sainsbury's store in Blackheath, Rowley Regis. Bosses asked customers to 'bear with us' blaming 'high demand'
A long run of empty shelves in Lidl, Saltash, Cornwall as the 'pingdemic' grips the country forcing thousands of supermarket workers and lorry drivers into quarantine. The 'Middle of Lidl' section is usually piled high with bargains
