Why they relaxing the rules on isolation and under 5's when cases increasing?

[OriginalM]

It doesn't make sense when they say they are trying to avoid lockdown but won't hesitate to bring more restrictions in and basically saying we are screwed but then change the rules overnight about the isolation cut to 7 days and the under 5's don't have to isolate.

I'd like to think it's a way of gradually reducing the measures, so it's a kind of drip feed of getting back to normality. Sort of the opposite of gradually bringing in restrictions so people are more accepting when more are brought in.

@Bluntness100

Omicron apparently stops being infectious after about four days, so with a negative lateral flow it makes perfect sense to let people out of isolation sooner now.

This.

What evidence is there are that it stops being infectious after 4 days? As it other respects it seems to be a lot more infectious than other variants?

@MissyB1

Does “close contact” include family members? So if the child’s parent or sibling tested positive the child could still go to nursery I presume?

Yes, but that has been the case for everyone double vaccinated or under 18 anyway. There was only a recommendation that they got a PCR if they’d been in close contact, otherwise they could go back to normal.

Children whose families are infected can go to nursery, often chesty, coughing and clingy. As they dont have to lft grandparents are saying its just a cold on drop off. Then parents wont come to collect as they are isolating.
No masks for staff or open windows.
Many older or clinically vunerable staff.

@OpalOwl

Children whose families are infected can go to nursery, often chesty, coughing and clingy. As they dont have to lft grandparents are saying its just a cold on drop off. Then parents wont come to collect as they are isolating. No masks for staff or open windows. Many older or clinically vunerable staff.

This is my issue! It’s all very well saying it doesn’t make the kids very ill, it’s not just the kids to consider is it? There are no staff under age 40 in our class, and we are part of a big school. At least before we could insist on Pcr tests if they had symptoms.

The under 5’s not needing to isolate has been confirmed as a mistake by UKHSA today, we got an email About it at work , Public Health

@mightyducks

The under 5’s not needing to isolate has been confirmed as a mistake by UKHSA today, we got an email About it at work , Public Health

Oh good news! 👍