Covid: Self-isolation for double-jabbed close contacts to end on 16 August in England

Sajid Javid said the vaccines had ‘allowed us to safely reclaim our lost freedoms’

A Covid-19 vaccination centre at a London nightclub (Getty Images)

Self-isolation for fully vaccinated people who come into contact with a person who tests positive for Covid-19 will end on 16 August, the government has announced

Double-jabbed people contacted by NHS Test and Trace currently have to self-isolate for 10 days if they come into contact with someone who has the virus.

But the government has been keen to alter the rules after vast numbers of people were “pinged” by the app in recent weeks, causing businesses to complain that staff were unable to return to work.

Health secretary Sajid Javid has now said if fully vaccinated people are contacted by NHS Test and Trace after on or after 16 August they do not have to self-isolate and are instead advised to get a PCR test.

If that test is positive, the individual is still legally required to self isolate, even if they have received both vaccine doses. Those who develop Covid symptoms after being “pinged” by the app will also be required to self-isolate until the results of their PCR test comes back.

Mr Javid said: “Getting two doses of a vaccine has tipped the odds in our favour and allowed us to safely reclaim our lost freedoms, and from Monday we can take another huge step back towards our normal lives by removing self-isolation requirements for double-jabbed people who are contacts of people with Covid-19.”

He added that vaccines will “bring this pandemic to an end” and urged people to come forward and get their jab “at the earliest opportunity”.

The change in policy was originally announced last month by Mr Javid as part of step four of the government’s Covid roadmap.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) chief executive, Dr Jenny Harries, said: “Thanks to the huge success of the vaccine programme, we are able to ease self-isolation requirements for double-jabbed people and under 18s.

“It is important that close contacts continue to come forward for a PCR test, in order to detect the virus and variants of concern. Although two doses of vaccine will greatly reduce your own risk of becoming unwell with Covid-19, it is still possible to contract the virus and pass it to others.

“So if you develop symptoms at any time – vaccinated or not – you should get a test and be very careful in your contact with others until you have received a negative test result.”