Fully vaccinated people will not have to self-isolate in England if a close contact gets coronavirus, Sajid Javid announces

Fully vaccinated people will not have to self-isolate in England if a close contact gets coronavirus, Sajid Javid has announced.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs rules on self-isolation are being eased for the fully vaccinated and under-18s.

The UK Health Secretary announced the fully vaccinated and under-18s will not need to shut themselves away for the 10-day isolation period once the change comes into force on August 16.

Making an address in the House of Commons, explained if someone has received two doses of a vaccine and have given the second jab a fortnight to take effect they will not have to isolate.

He said: “As we make this change we will be drawing on the huge capacity we have built for testing and sequencing and advising close contacts who are fully vaccinated to take a PCR test as soon as possible so they can get certainty about their condition.

“This new approach means that we can manage the virus in a way that is proportionate to the pandemic while maintaining the freedoms that are so important to us all.

“Anyone under the age of 18 who is a close contact of a positive case will no longer have to self-isolate.

“Instead they will be given advice about whether they should get tested, dependent on their age, and will need to self-isolate only if they test positive.

“Step by step, jab by jab, we are replacing the temporary protection of the restrictions with the long-term protection of the vaccine so we can restore the freedoms which we cherish and the experiences which mean so much for us all.”

It follows the Prime Minister announcing plans for the easing of restrictions on Monday evening, stressing the importance of the public making “their own informed decisions”.

Defending the plans, Mr Javid told MPs: “I understand that some people are cautious about their idea of easing restrictions, but we must balance the risks – the risks of a virus that has diminished but not defeated, against the risks of keeping these restrictions and the health, social and economic hardship that we know they bring.

“This pandemic is far from over and we will continue to proceed with caution.

“But we’re increasingly confident that our plan is working and that we can soon begin a new chapter based on the foundations of personal responsibility and common sense rather than the blunt instrument of rules and regulations.”

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