Covid-19 self-isolation cut to five days in England
Katy Morton
Monday, January 17, 2022
Effective from today (Monday 17 January), children and adults who catch Coronavirus only need to isolate for five days if they test negative two days in a row on a lateral flow test.
Under the updated Government guidance, which applies to everyone, people self-isolating with Covid-19 will be able to end their isolation period after five full days if they test negative on day five and 24 hours later on day six, and do not have a temperature.
Under isolation rules, the day symptoms begin or people test positive is day zero. The next day is day one of the isolation period.
However, children and adults who continue to test positive on a lateral flow test on these days must remain in isolation until they have had two consecutive negative tests taken on separate days up until day 10.
The Government ‘strongly advises’ that those who ‘leave isolation on or after day six wear face coverings and limit close contact with other people in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, work from home if they can do so and minimise contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with the virus.’
The new rules apply only to England and whether someone is vaccinated or not.
The default self-isolation period continues to be 10 days if someone with Covid fails to test negative two days in a row.
Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said, ‘After reviewing all of the evidence, we’ve made the decision to reduce the minimum self-isolation period to five full days in England.
‘These two tests are critical to these balanced and proportionate plans and I’d urge everyone to take advantage of the capacity we’ve built up in tests so we can restore more freedom to this country, whilst we are keeping everyone safe.’
