London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Covid self-isolation in England being cut to five full days

Covid self-isolation in England being cut to five full days

The self-isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19 is being cut to five full days in England, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said.

From Monday, people will be able to leave isolation after negative lateral flow tests on days five and six.

Ministers had touted the move as a way to reduce staffing pressures in some sectors, including the NHS.

The self-isolation period was cut from 10 to seven days with negative tests on days six and seven back in December.

On Thursday, 109,133 positive Covid cases were reported across the UK, the lowest daily figure since 27 December. A further 335 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were also recorded.

Mr Javid said that the country was the "freest in Europe" and was "leading the world in how to live with Covid".

He said the self-isolation period was aimed at maximising activity in the economy while "minimising the risk of people leaving isolation".

UK Health Security Agency data showed that two-thirds of positive cases were no longer infectious by day five, he said.

With a second negative test people will be able to leave isolation "at the start of day six", he added.

"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," he said.

The health secretary told the House of Commons the virus was "still with us and there are still likely to be difficult weeks ahead", but added there were encouraging signs in the data that infections were falling in London and the east of England - although they were rising in other parts of the country.

Mr Javid also reiterated the government's commitment to compulsory vaccinations for healthcare workers, saying that uptake had been "very promising" since the announcement of vaccine mandates.


As always with Covid, this move is about balancing harms caused by the virus with those from our response to the virus.

Data from the UK Health Security Agency suggests two-thirds of people are no longer infectious after five days of isolation.

That is a huge number of people who are isolating for no reason, disrupting education, the economy and people's personal freedoms.

Rapid tests ahead of release should capture most of those who are infectious, but not all.

The currently policy of release at seven days with two negative tests means about two in five infectious cases are missed, according to the data.

What we don't know is just how infectious they are - for most people infectiousness will be declining at this stage.

That clearly means there is the potential for more spread of the virus.

But as the risks from Covid are reducing so does the need to reassess the trade-offs.

Each UK nation sets its own isolation rules and Welsh ministers have said they have no plans to cut the self-isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Paul Givan indicated support for introducing the policy but said it was a decision for Health Minister Robin Swann to make.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the reduction in Covid isolation to five days but said testing needed to be "sorted out", saying that keyworkers were unable to access tests over Christmas as deliveries had stopped.


With the rising prevalence of the Omicron variant, Covid-related absences have been felt across different sectors, with health, transport and education among those impacted.

Around 5% of staff at acute NHS trusts in England were off due to Covid each day during the week ending 9 January - that is 45,736 staff each day on average and up by 28% on the previous week.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, described the change to isolation as a "pragmatic move" which health leaders would welcome, "providing it does not significantly add to the risk of the virus spreading".

Hannah Essex, co-executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce, said businesses which were struggling with high levels of staff absence would welcome the news but said "too many" staff were finding it difficult to get hold of the lateral flow tests they needed to prove they could return to work.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry group UK Hospitality, said the work from home guidance was "causing an economic burden for the hospitality industry" and said she saw the reduction of the isolation period as a "a step along the road" to that being lifted later this month

In December, the US halved its self-isolation requirement for people who tested positive but did not have symptoms, which led to some suggestions the same could be done in the UK.

However, the UK system is different as it requires people to self-isolate from when they develop symptoms if that comes before a positive test.

What does self-isolation mean?


Self-isolation means staying at home and not going out.

Adults shouldn't go into work and children shouldn't go to school, you should order online groceries, or ask friends or family to deliver supplies.

No-one from outside your household should come inside, unless to deliver essential care.

If you have symptoms or test positive, you should:

* Keep your distance from other members of your household

* Leave windows open to improve ventilation

* If possible, sleep and eat in a different room, and use a separate bathroom

* If you share a bathroom, use it after everyone else and clean it thoroughly

If you do not follow the rules on self-isolation, you can be fined. In England, penalties start at £1,000 and rise to £10,000.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
×