Ping Pong?

In the UK, many people have downloaded a National Health Service (NHS) Covid app on their mobile. The app 'pings', when that device contacts (via bluetooth) the mobile of someone who has tested positive for Covid19. In that case, the 'pinged' individual is instructed to isolate for 10 days. The intention is to reduce viral transmission. Sections of government, media and business are now complaining that the 'pingdemic' (a surge in the number of people being instructed to isolate), is disrupting many crucial sectors. Removing 'key personnel' is said to imperil emergency services, transport, deliveries and even the restacking of supermarket shelves. Business folk and others are demanding government makes exemptions to the isolation requirement. A limited number have already been granted. The claim is that this will allow 'key workers' to carry on working. Such individuals only have to isolate when they return home, at the end of the working day. Stephen Reicher (a member of the SAGE subcommittee, advising on behavioural science) says the 'pingdemic' is simply a distraction from the real problem (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/26/government-pandemic-pingdemic-covid-infections). Reicher notes there were lots of 'pings' on the NHS app, because activity was opened up, in England, on 'Freedom Day'. This was in spite of lots of people having Covid19 infections, especially with the highly transmissible delta variant. Reicher feels that granting exemptions, will inevitably lead to more infections. This will further increase the 'pings', ratcheting up demands for exemptions and so on ad infinitum. The whole thing seems likely to spiral out of control.