“The Prime Minister and Chancellor have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace as contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID," a statement from Johnson's Downing Street office said on Sunday, July 18.
However, the government's two most senior ministers will instead take part in a pilot study that allows them to continue working from their offices, and only self-isolate when not working. Britain will remove almost all its remaining coronavirus restrictions on Monday, even as the country faces a new wave of COVID-19 cases. Minister argue that the vaccination program has largely broken the link between cases and mortality.
The pilot scheme that exempts Johnson and Sunak is currently running in 20 workplaces, including transport and immigration infrastructure, and eligibility is assessed on a case by case basis.