It was recently announced that changes would be made to self-isolation rules in Wales.
Since December 31 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in Wales have been able to leave isolation after seven days rather than 10 days.
If you contract the virus then on day six of your self-isolation period you should take a lateral flow test (LFT) and another test 24 hours later on the seventh day.
But according to some reports there was conflicting advice on Welsh Government coronavirus pages when it came to leaving isolation if one of those tests proved positive.
One page said that if either of the lateral flow test taken on day six or day seven are positive "you should remain in self-isolation until day 10 as the positive result indicates that you are likely to still be infectious and therefore at risk of passing on Covid-19 to others".
But a separate page said people could continue to take LFTs and leave isolation before 10 days once someone had two negative tests.
The Welsh Government has since clarified that if either of the tests taken on day six or seven are positive the person should remain in isolation until they have had two negative lateral flow tests or day 10 – whichever is sooner.
Further guidance advises people not to take a LFT before the sixth day of their self-isolation period because the risk of remaining infectious and the chances of transmitting the virus to someone else is significantly higher. Go here to read about the key differences between LFTs and PCR tests.
If both LFT test results are negative on the sixth and seventh day of isolation it is likely that the person was not infectious at the time the tests were taken. You can leave self-isolation after seven full days – in other words on their eighth day of isolation.
However to further reduce the chances of passing Covid-19 to another person if you leave self-isolation after seven full days the Welsh Government strongly advises you to:
- not visit vulnerable people, such as those in care homes or hospital;
- try and minimise contact with others, such as avoiding crowded settings;
- work from home if you are not already doing so, and;
- pay extra attention to hand washing and wearing a face covering.
It is recommended that you should follow this advice until 10 full days from when the self-isolation period started.
Alternatively, if you still have a high temperature after seven full days and if your LFT result is negative it is advised that you continue self-isolating until your temperature is normal.
However you do not need to continue self-isolating for more than seven days if you only have a cough or loss of sense of smell or taste. These symptoms can last for several weeks following a Covid-19 infection.
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