The Federation of Master Builders have written to the government asking them to bring forward the date where doubly vaccinated individuals will not need to self-isolate if they have been alerted and ‘pinged’ a message by track and trace as a result of being in contact or close to an individual with Covid-19. This has resulted in thousands of healthy and vaccinated individuals getting pinged by the NHS Track & Trace app on their phones, and are told to isolate at home for 10 days, creating the so-called ‘Pingdemic’. 

The request has arisen after the government have relaxed the rules for key workers but have not taken into account construction workers and the construction industry which has majorly affected the supply and development of construction sites. These staff shortages have had a knock on effect within the whole industry being unable to meet demands. 

With delivery drivers supplying materials, construction site workers and project managers being unable to be covered for just 10 days, jobs become practically halted and work is not being completed in a streamlined way; this has resulted in frequent and daily disruptions, meaning that there is a lack in continuity of personnel working on projects, thus, destroying the momentum of a construction team.

Travis Perkins Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Frank Elkins said: “We are disappointed that our colleagues have not been included on the list of workers that can be made exempt from full self-isolation if they are alerted by NHS test and trace. Having worked hard to put in place measures that safeguard our staff while they have played such a vital role in helping to maintain essential services that are so crucial to keeping us all dry, warm, safe and secure, we urge the government to look again at the broader construction supply chain and its importance to the country at large.” (The Construction Index, July 2021) 

It is somewhat evident that the ‘Pingdemic’ has also had a knock on effect on many other industries too, costing time, money and frustration for many individuals.