Self-isolation rules change today – 16th August
Following the recent “pingdemic”, employers will welcome the changes to self-isolation rules. From today, adults will not be required to self-isolate following close contact to someone infected with COVID-19 if:
- They have been fully vaccinated (double jabbed) for more than 14 days or;
- They are taking part in a vaccine trial or;
- They cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or;
- They are under the age of 18.5 years – thus removing much of the burden of parents with children off school
While this news will come as a relief to many employers it doesn’t mean an immediate end to staff shortages due to the need to self-isolate. It is our understanding that people who have already been contacted and alerted by Test and Trace must still self-isolate for their prescribed period.
From now on, close contacts of infected people will be contacted by Test and Trace, who will check whether self-isolation is necessary and they will also be advised to have a PCR test. Those who test positive will still need to self-isolate, as will those who have not been fully vaccinated.
While employers cannot generally require people to have the vaccination, they can encourage staff by providing information and allowing them time off to have the vaccination.
If an employee is required to self-isolate, it is expected that they will receive a confirmation text or e-mail from Test and Trace, we recommend that employers request sight of this as proof of requirement to self-isolate.
As always, Pennine HR strives to bring you the most up to date information and advice. Please contact us if you have any questions about HR or people management
