Covid: England to cut self-isolation and France relaxes UK travel restrictionson January 13, 2022 at 4:57 pm

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday evening. We’ll have another update for you in the morning.

The self-isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19 is being cut to five full days in England from Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said. The change means people will be able to end isolation after negative lateral flow tests on days five and six, with Mr Javid saying this meant they could leave “at the start of day six”. Ministers say the move is one way to reduce staffing pressures in the NHS and other sectors, while Mr Javid said it was about maximising activity in the economy while “minimising the risk of people leaving isolation”.

France will relax its restrictions for UK travellers from Friday, the country’s government has announced. Fully vaccinated people will no longer need a compelling reason to enter France and will not have to self-isolate when they arrive. But a negative Covid test, taken 24 hours before leaving the UK, will still be required for all those arriving. Travel companies welcomed the news – with Jet2 reporting a “sharp” spike in flight bookings to ski destinations. People who are not vaccinated will still need a compelling reason to enter France, and must isolate for 10 days upon arrival.

Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam is leaving his role as England’s deputy chief medical officer. The scientist said it had been the “greatest privilege” of his career to have served the UK during the coronavirus pandemic, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanked him for his “extraordinary contribution to our country”. Prof Van-Tam will continue to work for the government until the end of March, before taking up a new role at the University of Nottingham. He became known for his colourful analogies during Downing Street coronavirus briefings, some of which you can watch below:

Retailer Next has cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff who must self-isolate because they are a close contact of someone with Covid, the BBC has learned. Unvaccinated staff at the chain will still get full sick pay if they test positive for the virus. It is unclear when Next made the change, but it is believed to have been recently. The company acknowledged it was an “emotive topic” but said it had to balance staff and shareholder needs. It comes as employers face mass absences due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

It may be possible for Northern Ireland’s government to consider lifting some Covid restrictions next week, First Minister Paul Givan has said. He said ministers had received an “optimistic” update on transmission rates and hospital figures and wanted to see a reduced self-isolation period. Meanwhile, Wales’ Health Minister Eluned Morgan has said there are “very positive signs” the country is “coming to the peak” of its Omicron wave. Her comments come ahead of Friday’s announcement following the latest review of Covid restrictions.

Get a longer daily news briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here.

We’ve taken a look at all the unanswered questions about the row over tennis star Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa and his Covid status. You can read more here.

What questions do you have about coronavirus?

In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Use this form to ask your question: