What is the 'pingdemic' and why does it mean empty shelves in the supermarkets?

Empty supermarket shelves in Cardiff, in July 2021

Have you noticed lots of empty-looking shelves in supermarkets recently? There's a good reason for it, and it isn't because we've run out of food!

It's because an increasing number of staff working at these shops are having to self-isolate after being "pinged" by the NHS Covid app.

A person gets a notification from the app - that's the 'ping' people talk about - advising them to stay at home for 10 days if it detects they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

The government says it's crucial people isolate when asked to help stop the spread of the virus.

The number of people being asked to isolate by the app has increased a lot in recent weeks as restrictions asking people to stay at home have ended.

Shops are one of the places people can most easily see the effect of staff having to stay at home rather than work, but the 'pingdemic' problem is affecting lots of businesses.

Supermarket chain Iceland says it's recruiting 2,000 temporary staff to cover absences. It's also had to reduce its opening hours and temporarily shut two of its stores.

Supermarket chain Iceland has had to reduce opening hours as more staff have had to stay at home

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) says ministers need to act quickly and allow fully vaccinated workers, or those who had tested negative for Covid, to go back to work.

"With community cases soaring, the number of healthy retail staff having to self-isolate is rising fast, disrupting retail operations," said Andrew Opie who is a director of food and sustainability at the BRC.

Lorry drivers have also been affected.

"Retail workers and suppliers, who have played a vital role throughout this pandemic, should be allowed to work provided they are double vaccinated or can show a negative COVID test, to ensure there is no disruption to the public's ability to get food and other goods," he said.

HGV drivers, who transport lots of the items customers buy in supermarkets, and manufacturers who make some of the food items shoppers purchase have also been affected.

What's happening elsewhere?

Staff shortages caused by the isolation rules had an impact on the number of workers in other sectors including transport and the NHS.

The government recently announced that some fully vaccinated critical workers, including health and care staff, would be allowed to continue to do their job even if they were in close contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid.

However, prime minister Boris Johnson has said he doesn't want to extend the exception too widely as it is important to limit the spread of the virus. The government has argued it is necessary to keep isolation rules in place until 16 August at the earliest.

People who are pinged by the app are advised to stay at home for 10 days

Under current self-isolation rules in England, anyone who is traced as a close contact of a confirmed positive case must isolate for 10 days, whether or not they have received both doses of a vaccine.

However, from the 16 August, those who are fully vaccinated and under-18s will be able to take daily Covid tests instead of self-isolating.

Have you come across empty shelves or fridges at your local supermarket? Let us know in the comments.