It is required that employees in the Cumbrian hotel and tourism sector be “pinged” to avoid isolation if they test negative for Covid-19.
Cumbria’s official Destination Management Organization (DMO) is calling on the government to allow workers with negative Covid-19 test results to continue working after companies reportedly struggle to accommodate bookings.
With over 600,000 people in England being warned by their NHS apps between July 15 and 21, Pingdemic has resulted in companies across the country operating with fewer staff.
“Now should be a time to celebrate,” said Jim Walker, chairman of Cumbria Tourism.
“It’s a wonderful summer, the industry is allowed to open and the visitors absolutely want to enjoy our first-class hospitality.
Instead, companies are constantly afraid of dealing with a sudden shortage of staff and the repercussions on productivity, customer satisfaction, reputation and work ethic.
“As an industry, we’ve worked hard to put the safety of employees, visitors, and communities first through a variety of Covid-safe practices, but a single ping can get us back to where we started.
“So we urge the government to allow the industry to bring back double-vaccinated workers after one negative test and possibly single-vaccinated workers after two negative results.”
This request is the latest in a large campaign led by the DMO.
Cumbria Tourism works closely with industry leaders and government officials to help the industry recover.
A shortage of foreign personnel due to international travel restrictions and recent immigration changes has also led the DMO to call for a seasonal worker program and the creation of a short-term work visa initiative.