Javid’s Covid diagnosis casts shadow over UK ‘Freedom Day’
SAJID JAVID triggered fears last night of a disruptive ‘pingdemic’ striking at the heart of the British government on the eve of its much-heralded ‘freedom day’ after testing positive for coronavirus.
the British health secretary had visited the house of Commons and Downing Street in previous days – and is understood to have held a lengthy face-toface meeting with Boris Johnson just before his symptoms developed – sparking concerns that senior figures would have to be confined to home.
One insider warned that ‘half the Cabinet’ could be in isolation by the end of the week.
After feeling ‘a bit groggy’ on Friday night, Mr Javid – who has been doublejabbed – took a lateral flow test yesterday.
When it came back positive, he began selfisolating pending the results of a more reliable PCR test. he said his symptoms were ‘mild’ but there were immediate concerns over those he had been in contact with. Downing Street last night said that if Mr Javid’s PCR test came back positive, those he had been close to would be traced.
Schools, hospitals, transport services and factories are decimated by staff shortages caused by the ‘pingdemic’ of notifications on the NhS Covid app. One London tube line closed yesterday when control room staff were forced to self-isolate, and teaching unions said there were reports of children being kept home from school because parents were scared of missing family holidays if they were ‘pinged’.