It’s caused massive disruption to the hospitality and cross-Solent travel industries on the Island, but the ‘pingdemic’ is now over as close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19 no longer have to self-isolate from today (Monday), as long as they are double jabbed.
Until now, if someone you had been in close contact with tested positive for COVID-19 then you also had to self-isolate for a period of 10 days. This caused major disruption for businesses with huge swathes of staff off work – often sat at home absolutely fit, healthy and physically able to work.
However, the law has changed today (Monday 16th August) which means only those who test positive (or have COVID symptoms prior to a test) need to self-isolate, enabling thousands to get back to work and continue their lives as normal. There is a caveat to this though… only those who are double jabbed or those under the age of 18 are able to avoid self-isolation as a close contact.
Close contacts who can avoid self-isolation are advised to get a PCR test but this is not a legal requirement. The advice is that those who have been in close contact with a positive case should wear masks and limit social contact, if possible. Those who work in the health and care industry will be expected to provide evidence of a negative PCR test in order to return to work.
It is still a legal requirement for anyone who tests positive to stay inside and self-isolate for 10 days, whether they are symptomatic or not. Large numbers of businesses are still regularly testing their staff – some every single day – which is flagging up positive results, even if the staff member isn’t showing any symptoms. This has in turn had knock-on effects to other businesses – but the end of the pingdemic will improve the situation for all.
More than 75% of the country are now double-jabbed and over 90% have had a single jab, paving the way for the country to return to normal. It means just 1 in 10 people have not received at least 1 dose.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said last week:
“Asking the close contacts of people with Covid-19 to isolate has played a critical role in helping us get this virus under control. Millions of people across the UK have made enormous sacrifices by doing this.
Article continues below this advertisement “Getting two doses of a vaccine has tipped the odds in our favour and allowed us to safely reclaim our lost freedoms, and from Monday we can take another huge step back towards our normal lives.”
Johanna Jefferies, Associate Director of Public Health for the Isle of Wight, says:
“Testing for COVID-19 remains a key tool in our fight against the virus.
“Everyone over the age of 18, regardless of vaccination status, should get a PCR test if notified as being a “close contact” of someone with COVID-19. This is essential to help us contain the virus and stop the spread to others. You can still get the virus even if you are vaccinated and could pass it on to other people.”
So, just to be clear, if someone in your household is positive but you are negative, then you can go to work and carry on as normal?
As I understand the regulation, if you were pinged as a close contact then it was only “advisory” that you self isolated. I cant understand the fuss when something is only advisory. Was this yet another of the subterfuges that the Government relied on, similar to the one about driving for recreation!
Todays news is that the Isle of Wight has the second highest rate of Covid in UK , probably down to holidaymakers . Covid hasnt gone away
And where did you hear this fake news from.
Nothing to do with the adaptive immune system then ? Of course it’s because of a vaccine. What exactly was the PCR test invented for again ? Oh yeah, viruses. Any kind of virus.
The vaccine speeds up the process of the adaption of the immune system and does it in a safe way. You get protection without playing russian roulette.
Wow… You’re more confident than the FDA at this point in time. And since we’ve all been locked down in sterile environments, how does that effect the adaptive immune system regarding other germs or even the common cold ?