NHS urges five-day home isolation after positive Covid test

The NHS has urged people who test positive for Covid-19 to stay at home for a period of days to limit transmission, after health agencies reported rising hospital cases in parts of the United Kingdom and experts identified particular virus subvariants now circulating. The guidance, issued this week, advises adults who receive a positive rapid lateral flow test to avoid contact with others for five days and recommends a shorter isolation period for children and young people.

The NHS website states that most people with symptoms do not need to take a rapid lateral flow test, but if they do and the result is positive they should follow the five day guidance. The health service advises: "Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over." For those under 18 years the recommendation is to stay at home and avoid contact for three days, reflecting evidence that children and teenagers are typically infectious for a shorter period than adults. The NHS also recommends avoiding contact with people at higher risk of severe illness, such as those with weakened immune systems, for 10 days after the day of a...