The Construction Leadership Council is the latest body to warn companies that sites will “grind to a halt” amid the pingdemic. Yesterday, the CLC co-chair Andy Mitchell warned that the pingdemic was “putting a very significant pressure on the sector, risking project delivery and even the viability of some firms.”
Last week, Tony Danker, the CBI Director-General said, “the current approach to self-isolation is closing down the economy, rather than opening it up” and called for “a well-balanced approach to reopening the economy, rather than the awkward compromise that currently exists.”
Build UK, the CBI and the CLC are all calling for the Government to bring forward the August 16th deadline for easing self-isolation rules. All 3 bodies want those who have been double jabbed to no longer need to self-isolate if they are not infectious and instead operate on a test and release basis.
The Current Situation
Last night the Government announced that more critical workers will be able to take daily tests rather than isolate when they are identified as a close contact of someone who has Covid. The Government has already set up 800 testing sites and announced the creation of a further 1,200 sites to cover police, firefighters, supermarket depot staff and other industries.
618,903 people using the NHS Covid-19 app in England and Wales were sent self-isolation alerts in the week between the 8th and 15th of July, which was a 17% increase on the previous week.
The CLC’s Product Availability working group also warned last week of the effect of the pingdemic not just on sites, but also in the supply chain. They warned that with global demand far in excess of supply, that this would lead to “product shortages, rapid and sustained price inflation, long lead times and uncertainty regarding deliveries.”
What is happening at PIER (UK)?
Following on from the UK national lockdown announcement in early January 2021, the PIER (UK) office has remained opened and our teams are continuing to provide an exceptional Vacuum Excavation service. We are observing all current Government guidelines in our offices, depot and on-site. Our service has yet to be affected.
If you require Vacuum Excavation on your next project, please complete this short form or call us on 01925 228 674.
