A MAYOR has called for the Government to bring forward the date that people who have had two Covid vaccinations do not have to self-isolate.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said those who had been double jabbed by Monday should not have to isolate if “pinged” by the Track and Trace app.

There are plans to drop the requirement for those who have received both doses of the vaccine from August 16.

Mr Houchen said: “If we do not deliver freedom for the double jabbed on the 19th of July then hundreds of thousands more people are going to have self-isolate for no reason, and this is going to have a huge impact on manufacturing, food production and the NHS.

“The Track and Trace app played a hugely important part in getting the coronavirus under control while the life-saving vaccines were being developed and rolled out. But now that we have nearly 70 percent of people are double vaccinated, including the vast vast majority of the most vulnerable, the government needs to update its guidance and accept that if it’s safe to go to a night club having only one jab after the 19th of July, it’s safe for someone to go to work if they’ve had both jabs.

“Learning to live with the virus also means not being paralysed by it, yes we must be vigilant, but businesses and the NHS should not be crippled by an app.”

More than 530,000 alerts were sent by the app in the week to July 7, a 46 per cent rise on the previous week.

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