The UK government has reduced the time fully-vaccinated international arrivals must self-isolate if they test positive for Covid.
The update mirrors domestic rules introduced on Wednesday, when the government reduced the self-isolation period for anyone who tests positive for Covid to seven days from 10 days.
It comes with the same caveat – that people provide a negative result on a lateral flow test two days in a row, on days six and seven.
As per the previous rules, those who test negative on a PCR test taken up to day two after arrival are free of self-isolation on receipt of their negative result. If a PCR test is unclear, self-isolation is required.
Those who are not fully-vaccinated must quarantine for 10 full days.
The Department for Transport today updated its guidance for how to quarantine at home after international travel.
It’s website now says:
“If you’re fully vaccinated you must take a Covid-19 PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in England. If the test result is negative, you can end your quarantine immediately.
“If your PCR test result is positive, you usually have to self-isolate for 10 full days. The day you took the test is day 0.
“You can stop self-isolating after 7 days if you do a rapid lateral flow test on days 6 and 7 of your self-isolation period and:
- both tests are negative
- you did both tests at least 24 hours apart
- you do not have a high temperature
“If you do a rapid lateral flow test on day 6 and test positive, wait 24 hours before you do the next test.”
More:Christmas travel a ‘dead duck’ as one in five passengers fail to show