Gareth has welcomed today's announcement by Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health, that the self-isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19 will be reduced to five full days.
From Monday, it will be possible to leave self-isolation following negative lateral flow tests on the fifth and sixth days since testing positive. Currently it is required to test negative on the sixth and seventh days. sleData from the UK Health Security Agency shows that two-thirds of positive cases are no longer infectious by the fifth day.
This change in guidelines will permit more people to safely leave isolation and return to work or school, minimising disruption to education, businesses, and in the NHS.
You should continue to self isolate as soon as they register any of the three main symptoms of Covid-19 - a high temperature, a new cough, a loss or change to smell or taste - and order a PCR test straightaway.
