Isolation rules for children under 5

[confusedandisolating]

Hello

Yesterday I returned from France to England with my son, who is 4. (We visited my parents for the first time in almost two years - it was lovely). We are booked for a home test to release on Monday, and I will do my Day 2 & 8 tests too.

Before we left, the rules stated that children of all ages needed to isolate and could partake in test to release.

I was visited by Test and Trace this morning and the gentleman said he did't need to check my son's details which I thought was odd but didn't ask further. Since then, a friend of mine says she thought the isolation rules had changed for children under 5. I've scoured the gov website, and everything seems to specially relate to children aged 5-17. It implies that children under 5 don't need to isolate but it doesn't specially say that. Not sure if I'm reading it wrong!

Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks

All I can see is that children under 12 don’t need to quarantine, unless travelling alone, so presumably there’s no need to get tests to release. I agree it’s not easy to see.

Think it's been children under 11/12 for some time

www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when-you-arrive-in-england#if-youve-been-in-france

"The following rules also apply if you have been in France in the 10 days before arriving in England, even if you are fully vaccinated. This includes children and young people under 18 years."

So in this particular case, I think it does apply to all.

Current gov.uk guidance for children is returning from Amber list countries to the UK below... (previously the guidance was "children of all ages")

Children who are UK residents

On arrival in England, children aged 5 to 17 who are ordinarily resident in the UK:
• must take a COVID-19 travel test on or before day 2
• do not have to quarantine

If they’ve been in France in the 10 days before arriving in England, they must follow the rules for children who are not UK residents.

Children who are not UK residents

On arrival in England, children aged 5 to 17 who are not ordinarily resident in the UK:
• must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8
• must quarantine at home or in the place they’re staying for 10 full days

ah though, hang on....

"If they’ve been in France in the 10 days before arriving in England, they must follow the rules for children who are not UK residents.

Children who are not UK residents
On arrival in England, children aged 5 to 17 who are not ordinarily resident in the UK:

must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8
must quarantine at home or in the place they’re staying for 10 full days"

suggests under 5s are exempt! Someone needs to proof read these Gov documents ;-)

You need to ask Adam Wagner on Twitter. He's specialised in coronavirus laws since they started.

@PatriciaHolm

ah though, hang on....

"If they’ve been in France in the 10 days before arriving in England, they must follow the rules for children who are not UK residents.

Children who are not UK residents
On arrival in England, children aged 5 to 17 who are not ordinarily resident in the UK:

must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8
must quarantine at home or in the place they’re staying for 10 full days"

suggests under 5s are exempt! Someone needs to proof read these Gov documents ;-)

Yes exactly why I'm confused. Glad it's not just me going mad. Implied but not specified... not helpful is it?! Just really would like his dad (who didn't travel with us) to take him out so he doesn't start crawling the walls - he's a very active kid and we have quite a small garden.

@TheLovelinessOfDemons

You need to ask Adam Wagner on Twitter. He's specialised in coronavirus laws since they started.

Don't have Twitter but perhaps will set up an account for this purpose... thanks for the tip.

If anyone has been in France they have to isolate although its a amber country it has an added rule of isolation for all due to the them being worried about a varient.

@Skyechasemarshalontheway

If anyone has been in France they have to isolate although its a amber country it has an added rule of isolation for all due to the them being worried about a varient.

Yes I am isolating as per the rules.

My question is specially about children under 5 - the guidance is currently unclear.

I read that as those children under 5 don’t need to take a test, not that they don’t need to isolate. Because tests would be even more difficult on under 5s. It’s confusing but that’s how it reads to me.

The line immediately above the paragraph about children who are uk residents says
Children aged 4 and under do not have to take the day 2 and day 8 tests.

So I would read that as children under 5 are exempt from the testing requirements, but still have to quarantine.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay @JaffaRaf

I think you're probably right. I think I was just thrown by the test and trace guy saying he didn't need to check my son's details, and also because the previous guidance was so age specific. And then, throwing in my friend's comment that she thought advice for under 5s had changed, I thought there might be something to it. Doesn't help that it's unclear.

Will continue as planned but will ask if/when test and trace visit/call again.