In a statement to the House of Commons on Thursday, the Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, announced that from Monday 17 January, the self-isolation period in England will be reduced from seven days to five full days. People may leave isolation on day 6, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6 and do not have a temperature.
The decision was made after careful consideration of modelling from the UK Health Security Agency and to support essential public services and workforces over the winter.
People isolating with COVID-19 must wait until they have received 2 negative rapid lateral flow tests on 2 consecutive days to reduce the chance of still being infectious. The day symptoms begin or you test positive is day zero. The next day is day one of your isolation period. The first test must be taken no earlier than day 5 of the self-isolation period, and the second must be taken the following day. If an individual is positive on day 5, then a negative test is required on day 6 and day 7 to release from isolation. It is essential that 2 negative rapid lateral flow tests are taken on consecutive days and reported before individuals return to their job or education, if leaving self-isolation earlier than the full 10-day period.
Those who leave self-isolation on or after day 6 are strongly advised to 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 COVID-19.
The rules for contacts have not changed. Fully vaccinated individuals who are identified as contacts of someone with COVID-19 should take daily rapid lateral flow tests for 7 days but are not legally required to self-isolate. Unvaccinated contacts are legally required to self-isolate for the full 10-day period.
Under the current testing rules, around 6% of people will be infectious when they are released from isolation on day 7 following 2 consecutive negative rapid lateral flow tests. Once the guidance is changed to end isolation on day 6 with 2 consecutive negative rapid lateral flow results, modelling from the UK Health Security Agency shows this figure will rise to around 7%. If you leave isolation on day 6, after 5 full days of isolation, between 20% and 30% of people are still infectious. The percentage of those released while infectious is reduced to around 7% if people have 2 consecutive negative tests and then leave isolation from day 6.
