First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed changes to coronavirus self-isolation rules in Scotland to help key industries cope with "significant" staff shortages.
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would now consider applications for exemptions from the requirement to stay at home for up to 10 days that results from being a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
The change is aimed at allowing what are described as "essential staff in critical roles" to return to work to provide "lifeline services and critical national infrastructure", the Scottish Government said.
Exemptions will only be granted to those who have had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, if the second dose was administered at least two weeks ago. They will also require to have a negative PCR test and do daily lateral flow tests.
in a statement, the First Minister said: “It is essential that lifeline services and critical national infrastructure are maintained and we are implementing these changes now – ahead of possible changes to self-isolation rules for close contacts that may apply more generally in future – to ensure staff shortages do not put key services at risk.
“We have seen significant staff shortages in a small number of organisations in recent days and we have worked with them to protect services. Applications for exemptions are being considered from today and we will consider applications as they come in."
It comes amid fears over a 'pingdemic' in England with contact tracing protocols hitting supplies of produce and preventing key workers from carrying out their duties due to having to self-isolate.
The Scottish Government had already planned to relax rules around health and social care workers isolating in favour of more testing when restrictions are relaxed further on August 9.
Ms Sturgeon added: “Clinical evidence tells us we can safely and effectively release some critical staff from self-isolation, with appropriate safeguards. However, this is a very limited change at this stage, to be applied on a case by case basis and only where absolutely necessary.
“We will not allow key services to be threatened by staff shortages but equally we must continue to protect public health.”
