If you are instructed or advised to self-isolate as a result of a COVID-19 contact you will only have to isolate for 10 days from Monday, the Government has announced.
After reviewing the latest evidence, the UK’s Chief Medical Officers are confident that the Government can reduce the number of days that contacts must self-isolate for from 14 days to 10 days.
Islanders who return from countries which are not on the travel corridor list should also self-isolate for 10 days instead of 14 days.
People who test positive for COVID-19 should continue to self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms, or 10 days from the point of taking a positive test if asymptomatic.
The changes will come into force at 00:01 on Monday (14th December) – this includes those who are already in a period of self-isolation.
Due to the time taken to test technical changes and release updates through the app store, the NHS COVID-19 app – which was trialled on the Isle of Wight – will tell close contacts to isolate for 10 days instead of 14 days from Thursday 17th December.
In England, if you receive a notification from the NHS COVID-19 app before 17th December to isolate because you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive:
- if you have also been contacted by NHS Test and Trace you must follow isolation guidance provided by contact tracers
- if you have been advised to isolate by the app (and not by NHS Test and Trace) then you can leave isolation when your isolation countdown timer says 3 days
