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Covid-19: Cutting self-isolation to five days would be helpful, Nadhim Zahawi says Covid-19: Cutting self-isolation to five days would be helpful, Nadhim Zahawi says
(32 minutes later)
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Nadhim Zahawi says plans to cut self-isolation to five days are still under reviewNadhim Zahawi says plans to cut self-isolation to five days are still under review
Cutting the Covid self-isolation period to five days would "certainly help", the UK's former vaccines minister says.Cutting the Covid self-isolation period to five days would "certainly help", the UK's former vaccines minister says.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi also denied there were plans to stop supplying free lateral flow tests - after a report in a Sunday paper.Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi also denied there were plans to stop supplying free lateral flow tests - after a report in a Sunday paper.
People who test positive for Covid are required to self-isolate for seven days, but several sectors are experiencing staffing pressure. People who test positive for Covid are required to self-isolate for at least seven days, but several sectors are experiencing staffing pressure.
Mr Zahawi told the BBC the country was on the road "from pandemic to endemic".Mr Zahawi told the BBC the country was on the road "from pandemic to endemic".
He said reducing the self-isolation period would help with staff absenteeism.He said reducing the self-isolation period would help with staff absenteeism.
The US recently shortened the self-isolation window to five days, and the education secretary said it was important to remember that in the UK isolation begins when you get symptoms while in the US it starts from when you test positive. Private and public sectors are feeling the effects of high case numbers on staff levels and Mr Zahawi said he accepted that more school staff will end up off work isolating for coronavirus as case rates rise when pupils return.
Mr Zahawi told BBC One's Sunday Morning that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had said that there might be a higher spike if the period was cut from seven to five days but the government would keep the measure under review. On the idea of stopping free lateral flow tests Mr Zahawi said he did not recognise the Sunday Times report, saying the government had ordered 425 million lateral flow devices in January.
Earlier this month, the UKHSA said following the US's lead in the UK would be "counterproductive". "We are not calling to an end free lateral flow tests," he said.
Who needs to self-isolate now and for how long?Who needs to self-isolate now and for how long?
Look familiar? How rapid tests changed the pandemicLook familiar? How rapid tests changed the pandemic
Covid isolation cut from 10 days to seven with testsCovid isolation cut from 10 days to seven with tests
Rules on self-isolation for people in England infected with Covid changed last month, dropping from 10 days to seven. The US recently shortened the self-isolation window to five days, and the education secretary said it was important to remember that in the UK isolation begins when you get symptoms while in the US it starts from when you test positive.
The government announced that people could end quarantine up to three days earlier if they test negative twice. Mr Zahawi told BBC One's Sunday Morning that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had said that there might be a higher spike if the period was cut from seven to five days but the government would keep the measure under review.
Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said his government was "not contemplating" reducing the isolation time to five days at this stage, having just made the change from 10 to seven days in Scotland. Rules on self-isolation for people in England infected with Covid changed last month, dropping from 10 days' quarantine to seven if they test negative on days six and seven.
"I think it would be sensible to see the impact and the effect of that but clearly we are always guided by the science," he said. Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said his government was "not contemplating" reducing the isolation time to five days at this stage, having just made the change from 10 to seven days.
Scotland had been slower to introduce the reduction in isolation time to seven days than other UK nations as the move was "not risk free" and the government wanted to see as much data as it could, he said. "I think it would be sensible to see the impact," he said.
On the idea of stopping free lateral flow tests Mr Zahawi said he did not recognise the report, saying the government had ordered 425 million lateral flow devices in January. With vaccines and new treatments reducing the risk Covid presents, what's considered proportionate changes because of the need to balance the harms caused by the virus and those caused by trying to suppress it.
"We are not calling to an end free lateral flow tests," he said. Take the isolation period, infectiousness is not like a switch. It doesn't just go on to off.
Opposition politicians had criticised the suggestion free tests might be stopped. Instead, people gradually move from peak infectiousness to lower infectiousness.
As we become more able to live with the virus because it's causing milder illness, the benefits of long isolation periods wane.
But the costs in terms of missing school or disrupting work remain.
Slowly, but surely, we will see a rowing back of the remaining measures in place.
Plans are understood to have been drawn up within government to start this as early as March, but the rise of Omicron set that back.
There are several steps that could be taken. Shortening the isolation period further and then ending it unless an individual has symptoms is one.
Dismantling PCR testing infrastructure in the community is another. These lab tests are needed to keep an eye on variants, but that can be done by testing hospital patients.
Before Mr Zahawi said there were no plans to end free lateral flow tests opposition politicians had criticised the suggestion free tests might be stopped.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said such a move would be an "utterly wrongheaded" approach to dealing with coronavirus.Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said such a move would be an "utterly wrongheaded" approach to dealing with coronavirus.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said ending free tests would be the wrong policy at the wrong time, adding that the best way to prevent the need for further restrictions was to ensure that people could test regularly and stop passing on the virus.Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said ending free tests would be the wrong policy at the wrong time, adding that the best way to prevent the need for further restrictions was to ensure that people could test regularly and stop passing on the virus.
"That's why we believe those lateral flow tests have got to remain free whilst we have huge numbers of cases on a daily basis," she said."That's why we believe those lateral flow tests have got to remain free whilst we have huge numbers of cases on a daily basis," she said.
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Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says there will be no end to free lateral flow tests
Mr Zahawi also accepted more school staff will end up off work isolating for coronavirus as case rates rise when pupils return.Mr Zahawi also accepted more school staff will end up off work isolating for coronavirus as case rates rise when pupils return.
He said staff absenteeism was at about 8.5% last week but "will increase, no doubt, because now schools are back we're going to see an increase in infection rates".He said staff absenteeism was at about 8.5% last week but "will increase, no doubt, because now schools are back we're going to see an increase in infection rates".
Contingency plans are being made for rising numbers of staff being off, the education secretary said, adding that some schools had remained open despite up to 40% of staff being absent.
Asked about school exams he said that "exams in January are going ahead" and "in the summer we will be going ahead with GCSEs and A-levels".Asked about school exams he said that "exams in January are going ahead" and "in the summer we will be going ahead with GCSEs and A-levels".
But he added that there was "always contingency planning".But he added that there was "always contingency planning".
It comes after the chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the government on vaccines, said on Tuesday that administering vaccines for everyone every for to six months was not "affordable, sustainable or probably even needed". On Saturday, the UK became the seventh country and the first in Europe to record more than 150,000 Covid deaths. A further 146,390 cases were also recorded.
The UK became the seventh country and the first in Europe to record more than 150,000 Covid deaths on Saturday. A further 146,390 cases were also recorded.
Private and public sectors are feeling the effects of high case numbers, which are impacting staff levels.
Earlier this month, the Cabinet Office said public sector leaders were told to prepare for "worse case scenarios" of 10%, 20% and 25% staff absence rates.
Transport, the NHS and schools have already seen the effect of absences, as daily case numbers rose over the festive period.
In England, Covid-related staff absences at hospitals have risen sharply since Omicron took hold last month, with the Royal College of Nursing warning the situation was "simply not safe".
Are you a business owner? What are your thoughts on the proposed reduction to the isolation period? Are you struggling with staff shortages due to Covid? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you a business owner? What are your thoughts on the proposed reduction to the isolation period? Are you struggling with staff shortages due to Covid? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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