THE Royal Sussex hospital is facing being left short-staffed because of double vaccinated doctors being told to self-isolate - despite testing negative.

The shortage comes amid rising rates within Brighton and Hove, leading to many close contacts being "pinged" by the Track and Trace app.

Those deemed "close contacts" of positive cases must self-isolate for ten days from that contact, regardless of negative test results.

Rob Galloway, A&E consultant at the Royal Sussex, has called on Public Health England to explain the benefits of its Track and Trace system.

Dr Galloway said: "Another day waking up to quarantine rules creating un-fillable rota gaps by isolation of asymptomatic, test negative, doubly vaccinated doctors.

"Public Health England, please show evidence for benefits of this policy in a highly vaccinated population.

"With Covid numbers up, we can't continue like this."

Last week, pubs across the city were forced to close amid rising positive cases and their close contacts being told to isolate by track and trace.

These included Rockwater on Hove seafront and the King and Queen pub in Marlborough Place.

Covid rates within Brighton and Hove continue to soar well ahead of the national average.

As of June 29, the rate per 100,000 residents was 328, well above the England average of 208 and greatly exceeding the South East average of 140.

Rates are now increasing in every age bracket, however the highest remains 15-29 age group, which now has a rate of 699.

But there have not been more than five Covid inpatients in one day at the hospital since April 2.

The last Covid death in the city was reported in the week ending May 14.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown, is calling for a more "flexible" approach.

He said: "The problem we've got is that we now have to move into a different stage of combating the virus - the stage of managing.

"This virus will be with us for a number of years and, as long as the death rate does not increase, it needs to be treated like the flu and not some special disease as we have done rightly so far.

"I know myself, my flatmates have been told to self-isolate three times in a row, despite testing negative on PCR tests.

"It does not make sense and we need to move to a system where it triggers people to get a proper test and do a number of tests over a period of time.

"This is the same discussion we are having in schools and the same discussions we are having in travel."

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust and Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care were contacted for comment.