NEW Covid isolation rule changes are coming in from Monday – but you will be forgiven if they’ve left you feeling a bit confused.
From January 17, people in England who test positive will be able to leave home after five full days, Sajid Javid announced yesterday.
It comes after the Government was urged by businesses and experts to slash isolation from seven to five days – to get Brits back to work amid a staffing crisis.
But the confusing detail of the new rules means anyone isolating will technically have to do so for six, not five, days.
This is because the first full day of isolation is NOT the day you test positive or noticed symptoms – although you must still isolate following either of these events.
That day is now known as “day zero”, with the next day counting as day one, the UK Health Security Agency confirmed.
Covid patients must then test negative on lateral flow tests on day five and six in order to be released from isolation.
An example timeline is as follows:
Monday = Day 0 (when you develop symptoms or get a positive test)
Tuesday = Day 1
Wednesday = Day 2
Thursday = Day 3
Friday = Day 4
Saturday = Day 5 – first lateral flow test
Sunday = Day 6 – second lateral flow test and if both are negative you can leave isolation
The rule change was confirmed by the Health Secretary yesterday – after experts had called for isolation to be slashed, while the NHS struggles with mass staff absences.
Health chiefs had resisted doing this sooner, after already reducing isolation from ten to seven days just before Christmas.
Mr Javid said: “UKHSA data shows that around two-thirds of positive cases are no longer infectious by the end of day five and we want to use the testing capacity that we’ve built up to help these people leave isolation safely.
“After reviewing all of the evidence, we’ve made the decision to reduce the minimum self-isolation period to five full days in England.
“From Monday, people can test twice before they go – leaving isolation at the start of day six.
“These two tests are critical to these balanced and proportionate plans, and I’d urge everyone to take advantage of the capacity we have built up in tests so we can restore the freedoms to this country while we’re keeping everyone safe.”
Isolation starts from the day of your first symptoms.
You must remain in isolation for five full days, and can leave after negative lateral flows on days five and six.
So, if you noticed symptoms on Monday morning, which counts as day zero – regardless of when you then tested positive – you can take your first lateral flow test on Saturday (day five). It means you could be free from isolation on Sunday morning after a second negative lateral flow test.
But if you continue to test positive, you must still remain in isolation until you have a negative test.
Isolation starts from the day of your first positive lateral flow test.
You must remain in isolation for five full days, and can leave after negative lateral flows on days five and six.
For example, if you test positive on Monday morning at 11am, which counts as day zero, you must wait until Saturday (day five) to do your first test and see if you are negative. It means you could be free from isolation on Sunday morning after a second negative lateral flow test.
But if you continue to test positive, you must still remain in isolation until you have a negative test.
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A string of hugely positive studies show Omicron is milder than other strains in the vaccinated, with the first official UK report revealing the risk of hospitalisation is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta.
Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.
The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits’ arms to ward off the need for any new restrictions.
Omicron is now the dominant strain in the UK and most people testing positive with the variant suffer with cold like symptoms.
New rules now say anyone who tests positive on a lateral flow must log their results and isolate, and if they don’t have symptoms they don’t need to have a PCR.
If they do have symptoms they still must take a PCR follow-up, regardless of the LTF result.
The rules, until Monday, require anyone testing positive to isolate for seven days until they get a negative lateral flow.
