Boris Johnson has confirmed huge changes to the Covid rules in England will be rolled out in two weeks.
Rules currently mean that everyone who tests positive for Covid must isolate for at least five full days, but those are set to be scrapped by the end of February.
The law that mandates the self-isolation period will be replaced by guidance, with people expected to work from home rather than go to the office if they test positive, reports WalesOnline.
READ MORE: Met Police commissioner Cressida Dick resigns from scandal-hit role
During a calmer PMQs session on Wednesday, Boris Johnson told MPs: "It is my intention to return on the first day after the half-term recess to present our strategy for living with Covid.
"Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions - including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive - a full month early."
However, if you are one of the many Bristolians who travels regularly to Wales, you will know that rules around Covid and self-isolation across the border are set by the Welsh Government, not the UK Government. This means that any changes proposed by the prime minister in the coming weeks will only affect England, but not Wales.
So with the rules once again changing, here is everything you need to know about current rules on Covid in Wales and what we could expect soon.
What have been the recent changes in Covid rules in Wales?
In January, Wales moved to Alert Level Zero due to a fall in cases in the country. This was a relaxation of the Alert Level Two rules that had been in place since Boxing Day 2021.
From January 21, all limits on outdoor activities were officially scrapped with crowds able to return to sporting events, and outdoor hospitality able to operate without the rule of six.
The most recent changes came into force on January 28, which included:
- Nightclubs were able to re-open.
- Covid passes are needed for large indoor events, nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls.
- Working from home remains important but moves from law to guidance.
- In hospitality, no restrictions on meeting people and no requirement for table service or two-metre physical distancing.
- Face coverings are still required on public transport and in most indoor public places.
What are the current self-isolation rules in Wales?
The current Covid rules in Wales say that if you have symptoms of Covid, you should self-isolate and book a PCR test as soon as possible. If you test positive for the virus, you must self-isolate and follow all relevant guidance from the Welsh Government.
On day five of your self-isolation period, you should take a lateral flow test (LFT) and a second one the next day, which you should aim to take 12-24 hours after your first test. This will help determine if you are still infectious and could potentially pass the virus to others.
You should not take an LFT before day five of your self-isolation period because the risk of remaining infectious and therefore passing the infection onto others before this period is much higher.
After five full days, you can leave self-isolation, which would be day six. However, if you test positive for the virus, you should remain in self-isolation until you return two consecutive negative LFT tests or until day 10, whichever is sooner.
You do not need a negative LFT test on day 10 to leave self-isolation. If you still have a fever, you should continue to self-isolate until your temperature has returned to normal.
If you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid, you should also follow the very same guidance. If you are not fully vaccinated, it is a legal requirement that you self-isolate as a close contact for 10 full days.
If you are a close contact, self-isolation and what tests you should take will depend on:
- your vaccination status
- your age
- your occupation
What changes to the Wales Covid rules can we expect in the coming weeks?
Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, has announced that the next Covid review will take place on Thursday, February 10. Those regular reviews have moved from weekly to every three weeks.
When asked on BBC's Sunday Politics on January 23 if Thursday would be too early to get rid of Covid passes and rules around face masks, the Health Minister for Wales, Baroness Eluned Morgan, said: "We have got thinking to do before then and we will continue to be driven by the data and the science.
"It is interesting to hear the World Health Organization say that wearing masks are something that people should consider for the longer term. We have got to assess how people feel about this, we have got to assess if the science supports it.
"Clearly, we are keen to see face masks go in schools earlier than perhaps the rest of the population, but all of these things are things that we will be considering."
What do you think of this story? Log in and join the debate
On the subject of pupils wearing face masks in the classroom, she said that it was likely this rule would remain in place until at least the half-term at the end of February.
She said: "We know how difficult it is for children, but the key thing for us is that we keep children in school. If this helps us to do that, then obviously we will support the teachers, and we will support the children in our best efforts to stop that infection in schools."
In English schools, mask-wearing rules for pupils were scrapped in January, but it was reported that some headteachers had defied the UK Government and insisted they would remain in place. The Daily Telegraph reported that more than 100 schools have already written to parents to say that children would continue wearing masks in lessons despite the Prime Minister’s announcement that the measure was no longer necessary.
Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android
