Essential Care

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The UK's rules for self-isolation have changed because of the Omicron Covid variant.

Travellers to the UK and suspected contacts of people with Omicron are among those affected.

What are the new self-isolation rules?

The rules around self-isolation after foreign travel have changed.

All over-fives who arrive in the UK (over-11s in Scotland) must self-isolate while waiting for the results of a pre-booked PCR test, including those who are fully vaccinated. You can stop self-isolating if your test is negative.

Across the UK, anyone who lives with - or is identified by contact tracers as being a contact of - a suspected or confirmed Omicron case must self-isolate for 10 days.

This applies whatever a person's age and includes people who are fully vaccinated.

Suspected or confirmed Omicron cases are identified through PCR tests. Although confirming Omicron can take a couple of weeks, the initial positive test result will indicate if you are suspected of having it.

These rules could soon change in England.

When setting out, the government said it intends to allow contacts of confirmed Omicron cases to do daily Covid tests instead of self-isolating.

No date has been given for this change.

Who else has to self-isolate?

Aside from the new rules around Omicron cases, you still need to self-isolate for 10 days if you:

test positive or have are waiting for the results of a PCR test after developing Covid symptomsare an adult who has not been fully vaccinated, who lives with someone who tests positive (or who has Covid symptoms)are an adult who has not been fully vaccinated, who has been identified by contact tracers as a close contact of someone who has tested positive

In Scotland, if someone in your household has symptoms, and while waiting for a PCR test result. People in Wales are also asked to self-isolate and get tested if shows Covid symptoms or tests positive.

Under-18s don't have to self-isolate after contact with a positive case, even if they are not vaccinated, although they are advised to take a PCR test.

If you are " pinged" by to say that you've been in close proximity to someone who subsequently tested positive for Covid, you will only be advised to self-isolate if you are over-18 and not fully vaccinated.

What does fully vaccinated mean?

To count as fully vaccinated, you must have received your first and second vaccine doses in the UK, or as part of

You must have had your second dose at least to avoid self-isolation.

England allows six months (and Scotland allows four) after your 18th birthday in order to allow you time to get fully vaccinated.

What does self-isolation mean?

Self-isolation means. Self-isolating adults shouldn't go into work and self-isolating children shouldn't go to school.

You should order online groceries, or ask friends or family to help.

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

If you test positive and feel fine, but subsequently develop symptoms, you must restart your 10-day isolation period.

If you have symptoms or test positive, you should:

Keep your distance from other members of your householdLeave windows open to improve ventilationIf possible, sleep and eat in a different room, and use a separate bathroomIf you share a bathroom, use it after everyone else and clean it thoroughlyWill I be paid if I have to self-isolate?

in England to people on low incomes who have to self-isolate. This includes parents who can't work because their child has to self-isolate. It is a single payment to cover 10 days' isolation.

In Scotland people can apply for the, worth £500. There is In Northern Ireland,

You may also be entitled to, which is worth £96. 35 a week. Employers with their own sick pay scheme will pay more.

How are the rules enforced?

Anyone who does not self-isolate could be fined. In England, fines start at £1,000 rising to £10,000.

However, there have been concerns about how many people follow the rules. fewer than 20% do so.

Source of news: bbc.com