New COVID-19 Isolation Rules in England.

What are the new Covid self-isolation rules?

From the 23rd of February, citizens of England are no longer required by law to self-isolate if they have tested positive for Covid-19.

The Guidance will remain in place until April for those who test positive to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days, but there will be no penalty for not doing so.

The minimum self-isolation period for those who test positive is five full days. The day that your symptoms start, or the day you test positive, counts as day zero.

You may leave self-isolation on day six if you test negative on a lateral flow on day five and day six, at least 24 hours apart, as long as you do not have a high temperature.

If one of these tests returns positive, you must wait until receiving two consecutive days of negative tests to leave isolation, or wait the full 10 days.

Beforehand, those who did not have symptoms but tested positive on a lateral flow had to order a PCR. They then had to restart their isolation period from the day they took the PCR if the result returned positive.

However, this requirement has been removed. Asymptomatic people should no longer order a PCR, and instead isolate for 5-10 days from the day of the positive lateral flow result.

If you are fully vaccinated then you do not automatically have to self-isolate if you are a household contact of somebody who has tested positive.