One in three people not isolating after testing positive for Covid as legal requirement scrapped

The number of people choosing to self-isolate dropped significantly after the law changed, Matt Mathers writes

Free Covid-19 testing for the majority of people in England ends on Friday (PA) (PA Wire)

A third of people who test positive for Covid are not self-isolating, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics said 64 per cent of people in England stayed indoors after catching the virus.

This was down from 80 per cent earlier in February when self-isolation was a legal requirement.

Boris Johnson’s government removed the legal requirement for Covid positive people to self-isolate and all other remaining restrictions on 24 February.

People are, however, still being advised to self-isolate if they test positive.

“Now the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive has been removed in England, our data reveal more about adherence to these rules,” Tim Gibbs, head of the ONS’s Public Services Analysis Team, said in a statement.

Covid cases have soared since restrictions were abandoned (PA)

“Compliance with self-isolation rules was significantly lower than the level reported in February 2022, when self-isolation was a legal requirement,” he added.

Covid cases had been steadily rising across the UK following the lifting of all restrictions but now could be on a downwards trend.

New cases fell by 5 per cent over the weekend when compared to the previous one, figues show.

For its survey, the ONS said it spoke to people who had tested positive for Covid before 24 February.

Interviews took place between 28 February and 8 March.

Of those who had self-isolated since testing positive but had stopped isolating at the time of interview, around 29 per cent had isolated for 10 days or more, the ONS said.

Nearly all (99 per cent) respondents agreed that it was important to follow self-isolation advice.

The ONS added that some 94 per cent of those who did not follow the advice said they left home for non-compliant reason.

Almost all (96 per cent) of respondents who were in work (full time, part time, or unpaid), or receiving sick pay or unpaid leave from work, reported that their employer was aware that they were advised to self-isolate, despite the removal of the legal obligation to inform employers, the statistic body said.