Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak will not have to self-isolate despite being contacted by NHS Test and Trace, Downing Street has said.
It comes after Health Secretary Sajid Javid revealed he had tested positive for the virus yesterday.
Instead, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor will be taking part in a daily contact testing pilot which allows them to continue to work from Downing Street.
The Prime Minister is reported to have had a lengthy meeting with Mr Javid at No 10 on Friday.
A No 10 spokesman said: ‘They will be conducting only essential government business during this period.’
There will be relief in Downing Street that Mr Johnson will not be confined to home on so-called ‘freedom day’ on Monday when most statutory lockdown restrictions end in England.
But the disclosure that the Prime Minister and Chancellor have avoided the requirement to quarantine is likely to anger thousands of people being forced to miss work after being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid app.
Businesses have been pressing for the app to be overhauled and made less sensitive amid concerns that staff shortages mean they cannot operate effectively.
London Underground became the latest to succumb on Saturday when the Metropolitan Line was forced to close because of a lack of control room staff.
While most Covid restrictions lift in England on Monday the rules on self-isolating for contacts of people who test positive are not eased until August 16.
Then people who are double-jabbed will be able to take tests rather than quarantine at home.
Mr Javid, 51, claimed he was only suffering ‘mild symptoms’ as he is fully vaccinated.
He made an announcement having only received results for a lateral flow test, but a more reliable PCR test confirmed he had the virus last night.
As a result, the NHS Test and Trace system began the process of tracking down his recent close contacts.
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