Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread from 16 August
From 16 August, anyone, other than those listed in the criteria groups below, who have been identified as a close contact of a positive case will no longer have to self-isolate, providing they have been fully vaccinated and are not displaying any COVID-19 symptoms.
All close contacts, regardless of vaccination status, are advised to take a PCR test as soon as possible to confirm their condition.
Those who are fully vaccinated will only be required to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19 following a PCR test.
It is still a legal requirement to self isolate if you have been contacted by Test and Trace.
Anyone under the age of 18 who has been identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case will also no longer be required to self-isolate. Instead, they will be given advice about whether to get tested and depending on their age will need to self-isolate only if they have tested positive.
The following groups will be required to self-isolate, should they be identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 PCR test result:
- those who have not received their COVID-19 vaccination
- those who have not received both doses of their COVID-19 vaccination
- those who have received their second dose within the last 14 days
- those who have tested positive following a PCR test
- those who have been fully vaccinated and are displaying COVID-19 symptoms (ahead of getting a PCR test).
Protect yourself and others
Although most legal restrictions have been lifted and many people have been vaccinated, it is still possible to catch and spread COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated. We are still in the third wave of this pandemic in the UK and locally cases are rising rapidly.
COVID-19 will be a feature of our lives for the foreseeable future, so we need to learn to live with it and manage the risk to ourselves and others.
As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, it is important that we all use personal judgement to manage our own risk. All of us can play our part by exercising common sense and considering the risks. While no situation is risk free, there are actions we can take to protect ourselves and others around us. Following this guidance will help you stay safe and protect others by controlling the spread. Every action to help reduce the spread will reduce any further resurgence of the virus in the coming months. We all need to play our part in protecting ourselves, our families and our communities.
Lifting restrictions
To find out what this means see the Coronavirus guidance on Gov.UK
Coronavirus testing, vaccination and looking after yourself
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolate immediately and get a PCR test, even if your symptoms are mild. You should self-isolate at home while you book the test and wait for the results. You must self-isolate if you test positive. Your isolation period includes the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you do not have symptoms), and the next 10 full days. This is the law.