Minister struggles to explain self-isolation rules when asked about childcare

Health and Social Care Minister Helen Whatley got a bit flustered when challenged on self-isolation rules under the new NHS test and trace system.

It could see Brits forced to stay inside for two weeks if they have been in contact with anyone with a confirmed case of coronavirus. But confusion has arisen over how to properly follow the rules after Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings admitted to driving 260 miles to his parent’s home Durham during lockdown with his symptomatic wife. He claims he fell ill with coronavirus the morning after they arrived.

The PM’s right-hand-man insists he didn’t break the rules and claims he was trying to secure childcare, despite strict guidance at the time to stay at home if you have symptoms, to avoid travelling to second residences and to stay in your local area.

As cabinet members bent over backwards to defend Cummings’ actions, confusion has arisen over possible ‘loopholes’ in the Government’s lockdown rules. Appearing on BBC Question time last night, Whately floundered as host Fiona Bruce asked if the official advice was to ‘follow the guidance, unless you can’t.’

One of the problems brought up in last night’s show in Glasgow was the fact that people have to be honest about who’ve they’ve had recent contact with for the test and trace system to work properly. Yesterday a team of 25,000 trackers got to work, locating people who have been in close proximity of Covid-19 patients.

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Appearing via video-link, one of last night’s 12 virtual audience members said the system could close down her cleaning firm every week, as her self-employed staff could be told to stay inside at a moment’s notice or may have to sort out childcare.

Whatley said: ‘What we’ve seen so far is people consciously following the guidance and in fact the guidance has included recognising some situations will be more difficult, for instance, if you are looking after someone who is particularly vulnerable or a childcare situation.’

Appearing to refer to the Cummings scandal, Ms Bruce responded: ‘Just to be clear, if you have a childcare situation then, Helen, since you mentioned it – if you have a problem with childcare and you have to be identified as one of the people who has to stay at home for two weeks, you may not necessarily have to stay home?’

Whatley said parents have to ensure their child is safe, to which the host said: ‘So if you have to leave home to do that, even if you have been told to self isolate, you can do that?’

The minister responded: ‘If you are contacted because you are a contact of somebody who’s got symptoms and told to isolate at home, you should be able to do so with your child. Everyone will have their scenarios.’

Many have asked why Cummings and his wife couldn’t have self-isolated at their home in London.

The political strategist insisted there were no childcare options available for them in the capital if they both became incapacitated.

In an attempt to get some clarity, Ms Bruce said: ‘Just to be clear, because it’s important, because we’re all going to have to adjust to this now, this new system.

‘If you are told to self-isolate at home for two weeks either because you have symptoms or you’ve been in close contact with someone who has symptoms but you have problems with that, you find that difficult because of child care issues, you can behave otherwise?’

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The minister replied: ‘You should follow the guidance – I don’t think anyone is suggesting you should have a child in an unsafe situation.’

When Ms Bruce suggested this amounted to ‘follow the guidance, unless you can’t’, a flustered Whatley said: ‘No, that’s not what I’m saying, actually, at all. You should absolutely follow the guidance and that’s been the case all the way through.

‘The guidance has always said that safety would be a factor, and you should clearly be a responsible parent. But I think what’s really important is that people follow the guidance.

‘And through doing that, that’s how we manage to keep the infection rate under control and so life can get back to normal or closer to normal – which would be so much better for everybody.’

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