Government considering changing isolation

PEOPLE could be able to take a Covid test to avoid self-isolation in the future as a record number of people received an alert from the NHS Test and Trace app.

A total of 520,000 app users in England and Wales were told to isolate in the week up to July 7 – the highest sevenday total since data was first published in January.

This has led to concerns nationwide about the impact on factories and offices as so many people are forced to stay home.

Solicitor General Lucy Frazer has said the government recognises the ‘significant impact’ that the NHS Covid-19 app is having on businesses.

She said as well as relaxing self-isolation rules on August 16 for the fully vaccinated, there are pilots being undertaken which could allow people to start a testing regime rather than selfisolate.

‘It (the app) is an important tool because it is important that you do isolate if you do come into contact (with a positive case), but I know this is something the government is looking at,’ she told Sky News.

‘In addition to the changes in mid-August, the government is also carrying out a number of pilots to see whether instead of isolating when you get pinged, you could take a test.

‘The government is looking at this very carefully, recognising the significant impact this is having on businesses.’

If you are sent an isolation notification by the app your self-isolation period includes the day you were last in contact with the person who