Important changes to rules around self-isolation will be made next week.
From Monday, August 16, double jabbed Brits who get told they are a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case can avoid self-isolation.
It comes amid concerns that the high number of people having to self-isolate in recent weeks has affected staff levels and forced businesses into closing.
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Meanwhile, the number of fully vaccinated adults in the UK continues to rise with more than 75 per cent of the population now double-jabbed.
In July, the government announced that the success of the UK’s vaccine programme had allowed ministers to introduce the change and move from a "rules-based system to personal responsibility" - but it delayed the move until August to allow more young adults to get the protected.
England follows in the footsteps of other UK nations after Wales changed its rules to allow fully-jabbed people to avoid isolation last week, while Scotland introduced the change this Monday.
From next Monday, anybody in England who has allowed their second jab a fortnight to take effect will not have to self-isolate if they come into close contact with someone who has Covid-19.
The government said the exemption will also apply to anyone under the age of 18, "to ensure young people can make the most of their education as restrictions continue to ease".
Fully-jabbed adults and under-18s who are identified as a close contact will be advised to take a PCR test.
If the result is negative, they will not need to isolate or take another test.
Anyone who does test positive following the PCR test will still be legally required to self-isolate, irrespective of their vaccination status.
Close contacts are identified by the contact tracers as part of the NHS Track and Trace scheme, as well as through the bluetooth contact tracing feature on the NHS Covid-19 app.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the app was being updated so fewer contacts will be instructed to isolate.
Health secretary Sajid Javid said the “logic” behind the app was being tweaked, although the sensitivity and risk threshold will remain unchanged.
Instead of checking contacts for five days before a positive test, the app will only go back two days.
Some fully-jabbed workers in certain 'critical' sectors are already able to avoid self-isolation following rule changes last month.
The government announced that sixteen sectors would be entitled to apply for an exemption.
They include energy, food production and supply, waste, water, essential transport, medicines, emergency services, border control and local government, among others.
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