The UK government is under increasing pressure to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent guidelines, which recommend reducing the COVID-19 isolation period to five days.
Earlier this week, the U.S. CDC announced that individuals with COVID-19 could end isolation after five days, provided they remain symptom-free and continue wearing masks in public for an additional five days. This shift aims to alleviate staff shortages in critical sectors impacted by the pandemic.
Despite the growing calls from scientists and businesses, UK officials remain firm. Chloe Smith, the minister for disabled people, work, and health, told the BBC, \"We think the current period, therefore, is the right one, so we haven't any plans to change that further.\"
Last week, England reduced its isolation period from ten to seven days, requiring a negative lateral flow test (LFT) on days six and seven. However, pharmacies are experiencing shortages of these tests due to soaring demand.
As of Tuesday, England and Wales reported a combined 129,471 COVID-19 cases, setting a new record. Other European nations like France, Italy, and Portugal are also battling unprecedented case numbers.
NHS Staff Shortages
While vaccines have significantly lowered hospitalization rates and deaths compared to previous waves, record case numbers pose a risk of overwhelming the NHS. In London, it's estimated that up to four in ten health staff members are off work due to illness or self-isolation.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently visited a vaccination center and highlighted the stakes, stating that unvaccinated individuals are \"eight times more likely\" to require hospitalization. \"The overwhelming majority of people who are currently ending up in intensive care in our hospitals are people who are not boosted,\" he added.
The NHS Confederation warns that staff shortages present a \"huge issue\" on the front lines. CEO Matthew Taylor emphasized the importance of safety, saying, \"While anyone in the NHS would be delighted if people were able to come back to work earlier if they are safe … we need to be absolutely sure that is the case.\"
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Calls for UK to follow U.S. and cut COVID-19 isolation to five days
cgtn.com
