PCR is still ‘vital’ after any contact

EXPERTS have issued “vital” advice to people to still get tested for Covid, the day after rules that sent millions of contacts into isolation finally came to an end.

Double-jabbed adults and any children who come into contact with a Covid case no longer have to isolate.

But scientists advised close contacts to take a “gold standard” PCR Covid test, even though this is not a legal requirement.

Prof Stephen Reicher said: “You can still be hospitalised, you can still get infected, you can still infect others.

“You’re not invulnerable if you’re double-vaccinated.”

The Government has put its faith in vaccines and the testing system to curb infections but the Department of Health has failed to confirm whether 1,000 new testing centres promised last month are now operational.