The self-isolation period for close contacts of people who catch coronavirus is set to be shortened from next week.
Anyone returning back from holiday from a country not on the travel corridor list, or someone who has been asked by Track and Trace to stay at home, from Monday 14th will now have to self-isolate for just ten days instead of the previously announced fourteen.
The current quarantine period of 14 days has been reduced on the advice of the UK’s four chief medical officers and will apply to all those who are currently self-isolating, including those who begin quarantine before Monday.
The UK chief medical officers said: “After reviewing the evidence, we are now confident that we can reduce the number of days that contacts self-isolate from 14 days to ten days.
“People who return from countries which are not on the travel corridor list should also self-isolate for ten days instead of 14 days.
“People who test positive should continue to self-isolate for ten days from onset of symptoms or ten days from point of taking a positive test if asymptomatic.
“We urge everyone to self-isolate when appropriate, it will save lives.”
The changes from Monday, December 14 are:
- Someone who has been contacted through Track and Trace and notified to self-isolate should do so for ten days;
- Someone who is required to quarantine following arrival into England from overseas should self-isolate for ten days;
- Someone who was previously instructed to self-isolate will be able to stop self-isolating ten days from when they were first notified to do so;
- Close contacts, including members of the same household who test positive for Covid-19, will only need to isolate for ten days, rather than 14.
Anyone using the NHS app will be able to leave quarantine when the countdown reached three days upto Thursday next week when it is hoped the app will be updated to the new rules.
