Sampling for infection control abolished and outdoor exercise in isolation permitted
From tomorrow, individuals under contact tracing will no longer be required to take a rapid test at the start and end of their isolation period. Instead, they must self-monitor for 7 days and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. The Minister of Health has confirmed a regulation on this matter. The regulation also grants individuals in isolation a limited permit to be outdoors.
COVID-19: Requirement for testing in connection with infection control abolished and outdoor activities in isolation permitted
From tomorrow, individuals under contact tracing will no longer be required to take a rapid test at the start and end of their isolation period. Instead, they must self-monitor for 7 days and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. The Minister of Health has confirmed a regulation on this matter. The regulation also grants individuals in isolation a limited permit to be outdoors.
See the announcement on the website of the Cabinet Office.
Contagion control
The changes to the quarantine regulations are being made in accordance with the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer. His memorandum to the minister states that of nearly 16,500 individuals who underwent quarantine in the first 16 days of this year, only about 11% tested positive for Covid-19. A large proportion of this group were school-aged children.
As has been the practice, the contact tracing team will assess who should be quarantined and who should be placed under self-isolation, based on the level of exposure each person has had to the infection. For those whose exposure is assessed as low risk, the rules on self-isolation remain unchanged, except that the self-isolation period is now 7 days and it is not mandatory to take a rapid test at the beginning or end of it. If a person in quarantine develops symptoms that could indicate Covid-19, they must take a PCR test.
Those in quarantine may attend work and school and carry out essential errands. They must be aware that transmission is not ruled out, be cautious, observe good personal hygiene and get a PCR test immediately if symptoms appear. During the quarantine period, contact with vulnerable individuals and others should be limited as much as possible.
Being outdoors during lockdown
Under current rules, individuals in quarantine due to Covid-19 may go out onto a balcony or into their private garden if their health permits. With the change decided by the Minister of Health, the individual will be permitted to go for a walk in the immediate vicinity of their home, if their health permits. They must keep a distance of at least 2 metres from other people and must not go to crowded areas. This is intended to be two walks per day, for a maximum of 30 minutes each. Outdoor activities are not available for adults in quarantine in isolation hotels, but this will be available for children.
Photograph: The Government Office