People who test positive for coronavirus or display some of the obvious symptoms must self-isolate or quarantine for a period of 10 days instead of just a week, the UK’s Chief Medical Officers announced in a guidance.
The guidance was updated on Thursday.
Until now, those who test positive or show symptoms of Covid-19 were asked to self-isolate for seven days. That period has now been stipulated as 10 days, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance.
“In symptomatic people, COVID-19 is most infectious just before, and for the first few days after symptoms begin. It is very important people with symptoms self-isolate and get a test, which will allow contact tracing,” the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales said in a joint statement.
“Evidence, although still limited, has strengthened and shows that people with Covid-19 who are mildly ill and are recovering have a low but real possibility of infectiousness between seven and nine days after illness onset,” they said.
“At this point in the epidemic, with widespread and rapid testing available and considering the relaxation of other measures, it is now the correct balance of risk to extend the self-isolation period from seven to 10 days for those in the community who have symptoms or a positive test result,” the CMOs said.
“This will help provide additional protection to others in the community. This is particularly important to protect those who have been shielding and in advance of the autumn and winter when we may see increased community transmission,” they added.
The move follows concerns of a feared second wave of the deadly coronavirus across Europe, which has recorded a death toll of over 181,000 from Covid-19.
Travel firms and airport authorities have been mounting pressure on the government to use wider testing in order to overcome the need for compulsory quarantines, which is hampering international travel.
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