Very unlikely Isolation period will be cut down to 5 days for Omicron

[BambinaJAS]

New Data from US & Taiwan point to peak infectiousness being reached around 3-6 days post infection (Omicron). See attached graph.

Not sure what UK Govt sources are going on about, as there seems to now be a concerted effort to get people out after Day 5.

What is going on in the England. Its like the lunatics have taken over and all reason and logic is being abandoned.

Unfortunately the fact that the science says no won't be the main factor our government takes into account....

They will give up on all isolation I expect as it becomes endemic. I think most people now agree this is the best way, another (worse) variant notwithstanding.

@ThoseFestiveLights

They will give up on all isolation I expect as it becomes endemic. I think most people now agree this is the best way, another (worse) variant notwithstanding.

Agreed. Isolation has to stop at some point.

I think LFT will be available for certain businesses run by government and other businesses will have to pay for their own.

I also think these will be phased out and by proxy so will isolation.

People aren’t that ill and could work, or at least work for some of the time.

It has to be done at some point. When that point is… is what needs to be decided.

@ThoseFestiveLights

They will give up on all isolation I expect as it becomes endemic. I think most people now agree this is the best way, another (worse) variant notwithstanding.

This makes no sense right now. We are nowhere near it being endemic.

We already have major issues with infected people needing to self-isolate.

Releasing people on Day 5 will cause those people (a portion of who will still be infectious) to infect the healthy (non-infected) at work & socially. These folks then get infected, some will be ok, others ill, and the non-vaccinated seriously ill/death.

This would actually make the situation worse right now due to only 70% fully vaccinated and 55% boosted.

They are on a mission to do away with isolation all together. Reducing it to 5 days is just the next step.

They have been planting the seeds for this for weeks now with reports in the media of how most people isolating could still come to work.

It’ll happen eventually and they appear to have a lot of support as well.

The US do 5 days now. We wouldn’t be the first.

If people go back to work but they are still infectious , won't this just help to spread it around a lot more ?

@Bobholll

The US do 5 days now. We wouldn’t be the first.

They are re-thinking that right now

It was clearly a mistake on their part.

@ThoseFestiveLights

They will give up on all isolation I expect as it becomes endemic. I think most people now agree this is the best way, another (worse) variant notwithstanding.

Not sure when this will happen but when it does it will feel very different

We’re used to knowing so much but I assume community testing would go too

I still had strong positives on lft on days 6 and 7 when trying for early release. Still faint lines on day 9 and 10 and haven’t tested since .

3-6 post infection though, not post test or symptoms?

If incubation takes 2-4 days, that means peak infectious if just before and just after you start showing symptoms/test positive on a lateral flow. So 5 days after a positive test would likely be at least 7 post infection.

The US isolation system is different anyway from what I’ve read. It’s 5 days from the post or result regardless of when symptoms started. I think that’s more sensible, encourages people to test early and you can’t pretend your symptoms started sooner to get out sooner!

Good. Next we need to stop testing healthy, asymptomatic people. Especially children.

And I know this will horrify many as they’ve been living in fear (pushed by the government and the media). But this is what living with an endemic virus looks like. And building up some good immunity (through vaccines initially).

Soon there will be no isolation. They are just doing it in stages. If you feel ill stay at home until you’re better. Otherwise crack on.

It’s a balance of risks isn’t it. So on balance most people stop being infectious by day 5, some won’t of course bit most will.
I am pretty sure my ds had omincron just before Xmas. Tested positive on the Monday but tested negative by the Thursday. Seems a much quicker process.

Good. Next we need to stop testing healthy, asymptomatic people. Especially children

You think people are actually testing g their children? Why do you think it’s so infectious in schools? That’s right - they aren’t being tested!

I know because I’ve asked a year 6 class today and only half have tested in their return to school. Says it all really.

Parents don’t want to isolate with their children. So they don’t test.

@withgraceinmyheart

3-6 post infection though, not post test or symptoms?

If incubation takes 2-4 days, that means peak infectious if just before and just after you start showing symptoms/test positive on a lateral flow. So 5 days after a positive test would likely be at least 7 post infection.

The US isolation system is different anyway from what I’ve read. It’s 5 days from the post or result regardless of when symptoms started. I think that’s more sensible, encourages people to test early and you can’t pretend your symptoms started sooner to get out sooner!

It’s days from onset of symptoms, not days from infection. If you look at the graph that is how it is labelled.

If people go back to work but they are still infectious , won't this just help to spread it around a lot more ?

Yes but if the disease is very mild then it's better overall if people just continue with their lives, rather than have to isolate (which causes big problems for many sectors).

Omicron will infect most of us anyway, we may as well continue with our lives.

And yes, I understand that some people will be more vulnerable than others and will need support.

They will give up on all isolation I expect as it becomes endemic. I think most people now agree this is the best way, another (worse) variant notwithstanding.

Yes, I think this makes sense. People are vaccinated and omicron is relatively mild - a good time to start to 'live' with the virus.

Parents don’t want to isolate with their children. So they don’t test.

I suspect it's not just parents - other employees also don't want to have to isolate.

Tbh, I don’t think even the experts know exactly from when an infected person starts being infectious. I know exactly where and who I caught my dose of Omicron from, having worked backwards from my positive test. The individual had returned 48 hours previously from SA and appeared completely healthy. 2 days later I started with a runny nose and also tested positive. I hadn’t mixed with anyone else so the chances are, they had to be the source.

Therefore, longer periods of isolation look more and more pointless as by the time an individual realises they caught covid, they’ve already passed it on anyway.

By day 6 I was testing negative, my adult DS was still testing positive after 10 days.

@Delatron

Good. Next we need to stop testing healthy, asymptomatic people. Especially children.

And I know this will horrify many as they’ve been living in fear (pushed by the government and the media). But this is what living with an endemic virus looks like. And building up some good immunity (through vaccines initially).

Soon there will be no isolation. They are just doing it in stages. If you feel ill stay at home until you’re better. Otherwise crack on.

I'd hardly call regular lateral flow testing to reduce the spread of covid "living in fear".

"Omicron will infect most of us anyway, we may as well continue with our lives.

And yes, I understand that some people will be more vulnerable than others and will need support."

But what support do you suggest. Vulnerable people will have so much more of a risk of exposure going out if isolation when infected ends. I just feel they have been written off as an inconvenient problem that will just have to stay in now. With no protection they have to work etc and just take their chances. It must be quite stressful for anyone seeing the push towards them being the collateral damage of 'getting back to normal'!

What is going on in the England. Its like the lunatics have taken over and all reason and logic is being abandoned.

Completely disagree, finally Boris Johnson is manning up and holding his nerve.omicron is not dangerous to the majority of the population. Latest evidence is t cell immunity, like for colds, is very good. This nerds to be treated like flu, so jabs and boosters for vulnerable.

Stop the restrictions.

Scotland and wales have harsh restrixtions in place, and their numbers are increasing, but englands are reducing maybr there is logic to our 'madness'

It doesn't matter what the scientific evidence suggests is right, it matters what Steve Baker wants (and Brady, and Harper, and all the rest of them).

Johnson is PM in name only these days.

@Lazypuppy

What is going on in the England. Its like the lunatics have taken over and all reason and logic is being abandoned.

Completely disagree, finally Boris Johnson is manning up and holding his nerve.omicron is not dangerous to the majority of the population. Latest evidence is t cell immunity, like for colds, is very good. This nerds to be treated like flu, so jabs and boosters for vulnerable.

Stop the restrictions.

Scotland and wales have harsh restrixtions in place, and their numbers are increasing, but englands are reducing maybr there is logic to our 'madness'

There is interesting discussion on graph thread re cases reducing in London but increasing in Scotland

So I agree, hopefully will hold and past peak