More types of key workers will be granted exemptions from the requirement to self-isolate if they are suspected of having coronavirus, Boris Johnson has said.

       In a press conference on Monday afternoon the prime minister hinted that fully vaccinated people working in transport, food and medicine supply, the power grid, and other utilities like water would be granted exemptions.

       People doing jobs involved the “defence of the realm” including immigration control could also no longer have to self-isolate if they have been doubled jabbed.

       It comes after health service and care home workers were given the green light to skip self-isolation so they could attend work, amid concerns about staff shortages.

       Under the rule change, any frontline health and social care workers can skip self-isolation if they have been fully vaccinated their absence would be detrimental to patient care. Each worker’s attendance would have to pass a risk assessment.

       Recommended Covid: Only double-vaccinated allowed in nightclubs from end of September, Boris Johnson says Timeline: When Boris Johnson was told to self-isolate and when he left No 10 for Chequers Confusion over when Boris Johnson left No 10 for Chequers as spokesman changes story on isolation

       The prime minister said the forthcoming list of exemptions for workers in other professions and trades would be “named” and “very small” and that everyone else would have to comply with self-isolation requirements “for now”.

       Mr Johnson himself is self-isolating at his country retreat in Buckinghamshire after he was contact traced because of his proximity to Sajid Javid, the health secretary, who tested positive for Covid-19.

       “I want to assure you that we will protect crucial services including the staffing of our hospitals and our, our care homes and supplies of food, water, electricity and medicines, the running of our trains, the protection of our bordfers, the defence of our realm: by making sure that a small number – a very small number – of named, fully vaccinated, critical workers are able to leave their isolation solely for the work that I have described,” the prime minister told reporters.

       “For the vast majority of us, myself included, we do need to stick with the system for now. And course, the only reason that we're able to open up in this way, at all, is that we vaccinated such a large proportion of the population, and at such speed. It is a phenomenal that every adult in this country has not been offered a first dose.”

       More follows...