Isolation reduced to 7 days *MNHQ editing to make clear this is England-only so far*

[Jourdain11]

It's been confirmed.

BBC News - Covid: Self-isolation cut from 10 days to seven with negative test
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59749447

This is quite a good summary. With references to follow up for those who are interested.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/nervtag-duration-of-infectiousness-following-symptoms-onset-in-covid-19-13-april-2020/nervtag-duration-of-infectiousness-following-symptoms-onset-in-covid-19-13-april-2020#fnref:6

But basically from day 7 (for mild disease and most people) your ability to transmit the virus is pretty much negligible. (Remembering the PCR is a much more sensitive test)

I also don't know how vaccine status changes that data - but it can only improve/reinforce it.

So this seems like a sensible measure to take.

@Halloweenrainbow

So there's no point in doing a PCR really. Saves us. DD has cough, fever, sore throat but negative x3 on LFT. Should we take that as proof she's not contagious with covid and just crack on?

Have also just seen that you are in Scotland, so even if you did test properly on a PCR, you ALL still need to isolate for TEN DAYS from onset of symptoms, because these are rule changes for ENGLAND ONLY.

Well of course they are going to publish that...
Data to suit their argument!
Its govt website!

Also it’s important to realise that the seven or ten days doesn’t begin until the day AFTER your positive test.

Feels like no one is doing this properly. Test day is not day one!

"Have also just seen that you are in Scotland, so even if you did test properly on a PCR, youALLstill need to isolate forTEN DAYSfrom onset of symptoms, because these are rule changes for ENGLAND ONLY."

But if it's the 'science' then shouldn't that be the case whichever nation you are in?

@Halloweenrainbow

"Have also just seen that you are in Scotland, so even if you did test properly on a PCR, youALLstill need to isolate forTEN DAYSfrom onset of symptoms, because these are rule changes for ENGLAND ONLY."

But if it's the 'science' then shouldn't that be the case whichever nation you are in?

England follow a different science from the other nations of the UK, economic science 😉

Doesn't matter if you agree with it or not. You live in Scotland. Get a PCR test and follow the published rules around household isolation.

@neveradullmoment99 Of course it's the government website - it's Nerve tag- which is a group of possibly the best scientists at this stuff in the world who look at and consider the data. By looking at actual research data. Not just hearsay from what happened to Vera at No 55. Or stories about my cousins cousin. You have to separate what are political decisions from scientific advice.

Maybe Scotland and Wales will follow - that's up for their policy makers to decide. There is always going to be some risk (they set the isolation periods at the far side of the distribution curve - so there will always be some people who are outliers who do remain infectious after 7 days - but that's also why they are recommending LFT) What is true for one person isn't necessarily true for everyone- but you have to look at the overall numbers.

Isn't the test void rather than negative if you don't swab?

@dollybird I think what the poster meant is that lots of people just upload a 'negative' result from a home LFT onto the NHS site without bothering to do the actual test. You just scan the barcode, enter all your details, and when it asks you the result, say 'negative'. Then you've got proof of negative status for whatever but haven't actually tested. That's why I think you should have to at least upload a picture of the lines on the test.

Meanwhile, I'm still here testing positive on Day 7 and my Dad on Day 9, so looks like Christmas is still off for me (another person in the house is CEV so we are isolating in a single room and leaving the house free for the others).

@Suzi888

Most people aren’t isolating in any case!

I would hardly say most people. I have not come across or heard about a single person in our circles that hasn’t isolated when tested positive. Even those that sprout nonsense about it being fake and microchips have isolated.

@Fink

Isn't the test void rather than negative if you don't swab?

@dollybird I think what the poster meant is that lots of people just upload a 'negative' result from a home LFT onto the NHS site without bothering to do the actual test. You just scan the barcode, enter all your details, and when it asks you the result, say 'negative'. Then you've got proof of negative status for whatever but haven't actually tested. That's why I think you should have to at least upload a picture of the lines on the test.

Meanwhile, I'm still here testing positive on Day 7 and my Dad on Day 9, so looks like Christmas is still off for me (another person in the house is CEV so we are isolating in a single room and leaving the house free for the others).

My son tested + for over 10 days.

@Halloweenrainbow

"Have also just seen that you are in Scotland, so even if you did test properly on a PCR, youALLstill need to isolate forTEN DAYSfrom onset of symptoms, because these are rule changes for ENGLAND ONLY."

But if it's the 'science' then shouldn't that be the case whichever nation you are in?

Scotland were already using different isolation rules from England. Scotland has a ten day isolation including the day of the test. Englands was 11 days as the day of the test didn’t count.

@Tippexy, day one is first day of symptoms not the day you took your test. As confirmed by T&T

[quote MrsFrisbyMouse]@neveradullmoment99 Of course it's the government website - it's Nerve tag- which is a group of possibly the best scientists at this stuff in the world who look at and consider the data. By looking at actual research data. Not just hearsay from what happened to Vera at No 55. Or stories about my cousins cousin. You have to separate what are political decisions from scientific advice.

Maybe Scotland and Wales will follow - that's up for their policy makers to decide. There is always going to be some risk (they set the isolation periods at the far side of the distribution curve - so there will always be some people who are outliers who do remain infectious after 7 days - but that's also why they are recommending LFT) What is true for one person isn't necessarily true for everyone- but you have to look at the overall numbers.[/quote]
I'm not saying the scientists are wrong.
However the govt can select the research that suits their argument.

[quote HidingFromDD]@Tippexy, day one is first day of symptoms not the day you took your test. As confirmed by T&T[/quote]
Unless symptoms come after the test. It’s whichever is earliest.

[quote HidingFromDD]@Tippexy, day one is first day of symptoms not the day you took your test. As confirmed by T&T[/quote]
Isn't day one the first day after the day you take a test or get symptoms in England?

@Fink

Isn't the test void rather than negative if you don't swab?

@dollybird I think what the poster meant is that lots of people just upload a 'negative' result from a home LFT onto the NHS site without bothering to do the actual test. You just scan the barcode, enter all your details, and when it asks you the result, say 'negative'. Then you've got proof of negative status for whatever but haven't actually tested. That's why I think you should have to at least upload a picture of the lines on the test.

Meanwhile, I'm still here testing positive on Day 7 and my Dad on Day 9, so looks like Christmas is still off for me (another person in the house is CEV so we are isolating in a single room and leaving the house free for the others).

Ah, I see what you mean. Agree, having to upload a picture of the test too would be a good idea.

@neveradullmoment99

Well of course they are going to publish that... Data to suit their argument! Its govt website!

NERVTAG are highly regarded

Have you seen other studies?

@youretwistingmymelonman

I'm giving off a faint line on day 9, so what does that mean? I'm released tomorrow.

If still testing positive on day 9 then you will be released on day 10, as normal. The 2 negatives (day 6 and 7) are only for the early release. I'm assuming if you test positive in day 6, but then day 7/8 are both negative you can stop isolation on day 8 then too

Re a pp's comment, a lot of people forget that the day of the test and/or day symptoms start is day 0, not day 1. T&T should clarify this but it does rely on the person being truthful re symptoms.

[quote HidingFromDD]@Tippexy, day one is first day of symptoms not the day you took your test. As confirmed by T&T[/quote]
The day symptoms start or the day of the test(whichever is sooner) is day 0.
Day 1 is the day after.

According to T&T and the information from PHE to school anyway.

How does this work though.

Someone has covid. Any number of issues - childcare, loss of earnings, pressures at work. .. what's stopping someone saying they have two negatives (when they don't ) and returning anyway ?

I couldn't care less who does what, I am thoroughly bored of covid but surely this will just mean people can spread it further as no one can check who has a negative or not ...

@Fick - uploading a photo of a LFT with one line on it wouldn't achieve anything - you could make one of those by dripping the solution it gives you onto the test without putting a swab anywhere near your nose.

I think we need to accept that those who are determined to go around infecting others when they might or might not have covid can do so regardless. But the large majority of people do test and follow the rules arround isolation. The threat of a 7 day isolation period rather than 10 is likely to make you more likely to test

@TallulahsCurse

How does this work though.

Someone has covid. Any number of issues - childcare, loss of earnings, pressures at work. .. what's stopping someone saying they have two negatives (when they don't ) and returning anyway ?

I couldn't care less who does what, I am thoroughly bored of covid but surely this will just mean people can spread it further as no one can check who has a negative or not ...

Same thing that stops them from lying about having ever tested positive in the first place maybe?

As I’ve just said on another thread it’s farcical.

An extra 280,000 still contagious ppl will be mixing at Xmas.

Why can’t they scrap isolation as they’re clearly letting it spread for herd immunity but trying to show they still are trying to avoid it spending. They are not.

@TallulahsCurse

How does this work though.

Someone has covid. Any number of issues - childcare, loss of earnings, pressures at work. .. what's stopping someone saying they have two negatives (when they don't ) and returning anyway ?

I couldn't care less who does what, I am thoroughly bored of covid but surely this will just mean people can spread it further as no one can check who has a negative or not ...

This is correct but a whole week after testing positive few people are likely to be infectious. There are probably more infectious people wandering around now that don’t realise it than people on day 8-10 of isolation who in all honestly probably aren’t any more

@Tillsforthrills

As I’ve just said on another thread it’s farcical.

An extra 280,000 still contagious ppl will be mixing at Xmas.

Why can’t they scrap isolation as they’re clearly letting it spread for herd immunity but trying to show they still are trying to avoid it spending. They are not.

Well clearly because they want drip feed the virus. Not have it spread all at once. A small% will be hospitalised and that % will be huge if infection levels are all at the same time.