OVER 600,000 Brits were told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 App in a WEEK, according to NHS figures.
A record 618,903 alerts were sent to users of the app in England and Wales in the week up to July 14 as the “pingdemic” continues to cause havoc.
The NHS Covid-19 App, which "pings" anyone who has been within 2 metres of an infectious person for more than 15 minutes, has caused severe disruption to Brits despite lockdown rules ending on Monday.
Today's figures mark a rise of over 100,000 on the week before, when 530,126 people were alerted by the app.
Unlike those who are contacted directly by NHS Test and Trace, the app's instruction is only advisory – and self-isolation is not legally enforced.
Retail bosses last night warned warnings that supermarket shelves could be left empty due to number of staff in self-isolation.
Iceland boss Richard Walker said he had hired 2,000 temporary workers to cover absences caused by the pingdemic.
And more than a third of the Dorset Police control room staff are off work after being 'pinged' or showing Covid symptoms.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng today vowed that the self-isolation rules would be scrapped by August 16.
He said: "I fully expect that the restrictions will be lifted, that is what we are working towards."
Mr Kwarteng admitted the Government was "concerned" by photos of bare shelves in supermarkets, but said it wasn't a "universal" problem.
He told BBC Radio 4: "Shoppers shouldn’t be panicking… I’m not panicking."
And Mr Kwarteng said a "very narrow" list of sectors whose workers will be exempt from isolation rules will be published later today.
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