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CONFIRMED: Self-isolation period reduced from 10 days to 7 with negative test
The health secretary announced the rule change late last night
People who have tested positive for Covid will now be able to leave their self-isolation three days early if they have a negative test.
Late last night, Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that Covid positive people will be able to end quarantine after seven days instead of ten, by providing negative lateral flow results on day six and day seven.
Javid said the new rule would ‘minimise disruption’ caused by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, as well as ease pressures on the NHS, which has come under huge strain after a number of its workforce remain in isolation due to Covid.
Chief executive of NHS Providers Chris Hopson spoke of the impact the isolation periods are having on the NHS, telling The Times earlier this week: “The impact on the workloads of remaining staff who are already working incredibly hard given the huge demands on the service is a major concern.
“Unlike last January, trusts are not only dealing with Covid-19 care but also seeing real pressure on emergency care, tackling a significant backlog of routine care and accelerating and expanding the vaccination campaign.”
Yet while this new guidance can be used by people who are isolating after testing positive for Covid, those who are not double vaccinated will still have to isolate for the full ten days if they are a close contact of a positive case, as is currently the case.
Officials also stressed that people should not end their isolation early if they are still experiencing symptoms.
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Yesterday, the Prime Minister also announced that no further Covid restrictions will be implemented before Christmas, saying there is not enough evidence on the severity of Omicron, the hospitalisation rate and the impact of the booster rollout to justify tougher measures.
In a pre-recorded message posted onto Twitter, Boris Johnson explained: “The situation remains extremely difficult, but I also recognise that people will be waiting to hear if their Christmas plans are going to be affected.
“We don’t think today that there is enough evidence to justify tougher measures before Christmas.”
He added that the government will continue to monitor Omicron ‘very closely’ and that if the situation deteriorates, ‘we will be ready to take action if needed’.