Covid-19: Self-isolation cut to minimum of five full days in England

Self-isolation is to be cut by a day to a minimum of five full days in England, as ministers start to relax Covid rules.

Under the new rules, from Monday those isolating after testing positive for Covid, or showing symptoms of it, will be freed from the start of their sixth day, as long as they have a negative lateral flow result that day, and the day before.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced the latest change in the House of Commons today, after weeks of business leaders calling for quarantine periods to be reduced, amid warnings they were crippling major sectors of the economy.