People with Covid in England are no longer legally required to self-isolate, although it is still recommended.
All legal Covid restrictions in England have now ended under the government’s “Living with Covid” plan.
However, people are still asked to self-isolate after a positive test in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The law which required people in England with Covid to self-isolate has now been lifted.
However, people who test positive are still advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days.
As part of the changes:
- self-isolation support payments of £500 for people on low incomes have ended
- routine contact tracing has ended
- employees no longer have to tell their employers if they should be self-isolating
- people also no longer have to self-isolate or take daily tests if they’ve been in close contact with someone who’s tested positive, regardless of their vaccination status
Labour has criticised the changes, and some scientists have questioned whether it is too early to end the self-isolation rule.
- Are we ready for last Covid rule to be ditched?
- Covid: ‘I will still ask my staff to isolate’
- When will free Covid tests end?
Setting out Scotland’s plans for the next phase of the pandemic, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that self-isolation “remains one of the most fundamental public health protections that we have available to us”.
Therefore – unlike in England – those who test positive for Covid must still self-isolate for the recommended period, and the self-isolation grant remains available.
However, Ms Sturgeon said the length of the isolation period will be kept under review, and promised to provide more details in March about how Scotland’s Test and Protect system will work in the longer term.
Under the current rules, whatever your vaccination status:
- you must self-isolate for at least seven days, as soon as symptoms appear or you have a positive lateral flow test (LFT) result. You don’t need to take a PCR test to confirm the result
- you must report your test result, which will ensure your contacts are traced
- you can end self-isolation after two negative LFT results, 24 hours apart – the first no earlier than day six. If you don’t have a temperature, you can stop self-isolating after the second negative test, on day seven
- if the day six test is positive, you can take two further tests on subsequent days
Anyone leaving self-isolation is “strongly advised” to limit close contact with people in crowded or poorly-ventilated spaces.
They should work from home and minimise contact with people at higher risk from Covid.
The need to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 was never a legal requirement in Northern Ireland, but falls under “very strong guidance”. This is still in force.
Self-isolation for positive cases will remain a legal requirement in Wales until at least the end of March.
Anyone who has Covid symptoms or who tests positive should immediately self-isolate for at least five full days. You don’t need to take a PCR test to confirm an LFT result, although clinically vulnerable people in Wales are advised to do so.
You must report your test result, and can leave self-isolation after five full days if you have two further negative LFT results, 24 hours apart.
The day symptoms begin – or you test positive – is day zero. The next day is day one of self-isolation.
You can take the first test on day five. If it’s negative, you can take another test 24 hours later on day six. If this is also negative – and you don’t have a temperature – you can immediately end isolation.
The rules apply whether or not you are vaccinated.
People in England no longer need to self-isolate or test after contact with someone with Covid.
However, rules remain in place in Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you are fully vaccinated (two doses – three in Scotland), you don’t have to self-isolate, but should take daily LFTs for seven days (or until 10 days since your last contact, if this is earlier).
This also applies to under-18s (18 years and four months in Scotland).
If any of the LFTs are positive, you must self-isolate from the date of the test.
Close contacts of positive cases who are not fully vaccinated still have to self-isolate for the full 10 days.
In Scotland, they are advised to take one PCR test and continue isolating, even if the result is negative.
In Wales, unvaccinated contacts are advised to take LFTs on days two and eight, even if they have no symptoms.
Anyone who develops Covid symptoms during self-isolation should take a PCR test.
Self-isolation means staying at home and not going out.
Adults shouldn’t go to work and children shouldn’t go to school.
You should order online groceries, or ask friends or family to deliver supplies.
No-one from outside your household should come inside, unless to deliver essential care.
If you have symptoms or test positive, you should:
- Keep your distance from other members of your household
- Leave windows open to improve ventilation
- If possible, sleep and eat in a different room, and use a separate bathroom
- If you share a bathroom, use it after everyone else and clean it thoroughly
- How to look after yourself if you get Covid
People on a low income who are told to isolate may be entitled to some financial help:
- a £500 self-isolation support grant in Scotland
- a £750 self-isolation support scheme payment in Wales
- a discretionary support self-isolation grant in Northern Ireland
Add Comment