Jason Strelitz, director of public health for Newham, said his team first began to notice the problem when they tried to set up a pilot study testing asymptomatic people in high-risk occupations. “We looked at retail and drivers, and we couldn’t get people to engage,” he said. “It was quite clear that people didn’t want to get tested because they didn’t want to have to deal with the consequences of a positive test.
“The decision to self-isolate is a very limited, narrow, private benefit. You’ve got it or you’ve been identified as a close contact. It’s not about your health; it’s about reducing transmission to the community. And I think if we’re going to ask you to do that, we need to recognise that that sits very differently with people depending on their work conditions.”
The growth of the gig economy in areas like Newham has resulted in hidden and unmeasured costs, according to Wyporska, who points out that the £500 compensation will not go far for a family whose breadwinner is off work for two weeks.
“There is a huge penalty if you don’t turn up to work. If you’re not seen as reliable, you go to the bottom of the pile,” she said. Managers will swiftly turn to someone who is available. “With some algorithms, if you’re not showing up for some time, that affects the amount of work you get.”
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