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| Coronavirus: Self-isolation period to be extended to 10 days | Coronavirus: Self-isolation period to be extended to 10 days |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The length of time people in England with coronavirus symptoms have to self-isolate for is set to be increased to 10 days. | |
| Currently, those who have a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell, have to seclude themselves for seven days. | Currently, those who have a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell, have to seclude themselves for seven days. |
| But Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce on Thursday that the period is being extended. | But Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce on Thursday that the period is being extended. |
| It comes after the prime minister warned of a second wave of infection. | It comes after the prime minister warned of a second wave of infection. |
| It is unclear if the devolved nations will follow the UK government's lead, but the current guidance was adopted UK-wide. | |
| There have been concerns about several local outbreaks across the UK, including in Oldham, Wrexham and Staffordshire. | There have been concerns about several local outbreaks across the UK, including in Oldham, Wrexham and Staffordshire. |
| The UK requirement for people who test positive to isolate for seven days was always on the low side - plenty of other countries require 10 days or even longer. | |
| As coronavirus is new, there is a lack of certainty over how long someone remains infectious. | |
| Research shows a person can be infections two days before symptoms develop and carry on being infectious during the period they have symptoms. For most, that lasts no more than seven days. | |
| Those who have symptoms longer are already advised to carry on self-isolating. | |
| But the decision to insist everyone isolates for 10 days is likely to have been made for a number of reasons. | |
| There is plenty of evidence that people continue to shed the virus after symptoms end - although the degree to which this represents a risk of passing on the infection to another person is not clear. | |
| Another factor that may have played a role in the decision is that widespread testing is beginning to pick up people in the asymptomatic stage. | |
| Under the current rules those who share a household with someone with symptoms of Covid-19 should self-isolate for 14 days. | Under the current rules those who share a household with someone with symptoms of Covid-19 should self-isolate for 14 days. |
| Those returning to the UK from certain countries are also being asked to quarantine for 14 days - a move that has sparked complaints from travel firms. | Those returning to the UK from certain countries are also being asked to quarantine for 14 days - a move that has sparked complaints from travel firms. |
| According to the Daily Telegraph, ministers are also looking for a way to reduce the current 14-day quarantine period for arrivals to the UK, meaning that quarantine and self-isolation time periods could be standardised. | According to the Daily Telegraph, ministers are also looking for a way to reduce the current 14-day quarantine period for arrivals to the UK, meaning that quarantine and self-isolation time periods could be standardised. |
| What are the current rules on self-isolating? | |
| Self-isolating means staying at home and not leaving it. | |
| People who have symptoms of coronavirus should isolate themselves for seven days and arrange to get tested. Symptoms include: | |
| Other members of their household should isolate for 14 days and not leave their homes. | |
| If you test positive you will be contacted by contact tracers, who will establish who else you might have passed on the infection to. | |
| Anybody they deem to be at risk will have to isolate themselves for 14 days from the point of contact. |