Nicola Sturgeon has announced immediate changes to the ten day covid self-isolation period amid concerns about a staff absence crisis.
People who test positive will be able to end self-isolation after seven days - if they have no fever and record two negative lateral flow tests.
Most close contacts of positive covid cases, including people in the same household, will no longer be required to self-isolate and will instead be able to take daily LFTs.
However, close contacts over 18 years and four months who are not fully vaccinated will still be asked to self-isolate for ten days and take a PCR test.
The changes will take place from midnight tonight.
The First Minister confirmed the moves during a virtual statement to Parliament this afternoon as Omicron cases continue to soar.
She said: “The first change to self isolation applies to those who test positive for Covid.
“While the initial advice when someone tests positive will still be to self-isolate for 10 days, there will now be an option to end isolation after 7 days as long as you, firstly, have no fever and, secondly, you record two negative lateral flow tests, one no earlier than day 6 after testing positive and another at least 24 hours after that.”
On reforms to the system for close contacts, she said: “The second change applies to close contacts of positive cases - and this includes household contacts - who are either under the age of 18 years, 4 months, or who are older than that and fully vaccinated.
“By fully vaccinated, we mean first, second and booster or third doses
“For close contacts in these categories the requirement to self-isolate will end and be replaced by a requirement to take a lateral flow test every day for seven days. Obviously, if one of these tests is positive, self- isolation will then be required.”
In a move that will be seen as an attempt to boost vaccination rates, she said: “Anyone identified as a close contact who is over 18 years and four month and not fully vaccinated will still be asked to self-isolate for ten days and to take a PCR test.”
Sturgeon also said that people who receive a positive result from a lateral flow test will no longer need to take a PCR test to confirm the result. This applies only to those without symptoms.
She said in these circumstances the period of self-isolation must start immediately.
It is hoped the relaxations will ease pressure on public services and businesses, which have warned of the impact of the ten day policy on staffing levels.
Other parts of the UK have moved to seven days and the Scottish Government has been under pressure to follow suit.
Professor Andrew Elder, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said: “Today’s announcement that isolation practices and times will change for people with COVID and their contacts strikes a sensible balance between the need to continue to minimise the spread of a highly infectious and now highly prevalent virus; and the need to ensure that public services and vital parts of our economy are able to operate effectively.
Andrew McRae of the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland said: “The welcome revisions to self-isolation rules outlined today will give smaller Scottish employers an inch more flexibility. But Ministers must remember that many firms have faced a dramatic slowdown in trade over the last few weeks that’s putting them under intense pressure.”
Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
“Businesses will welcome the changes that the Scottish Government have made to the self-isolation requirements.
“These changes should have a positive impact on businesses ability to operate and allow employees to return to work safely, whilst also safeguarding public health.
“Additionally, greater alignment and an enhanced four-nations approach towards testing is a positive step in the right direction and many businesses who were struggling due to staff shortages will now be able to open their doors again.”
Scottish Licensed Trade Association managing director Colin Wilkinson said: “This will help relieve the pressure on staffing issues in the licensed hospitality industry – we have heard from some of our members that 30% of their staff are having to self-isolate while some premises have had to shut down completely as they have insufficient staff levels.
“This change has already been made in England, Wales and Northern Ireland so it makes sense for Scotland to follow the same path.
“We now hope that the current restrictions in place, including table service and one-metre physical distancing between groups of customers in premises serving alcohol, plus the limits on events which are hugely impacting the late-night industry which has been hit particularly hard since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be lifted on January 17.”
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