On the 5th July, the Government announced their action plan for Covid-19 moving forward. Below is a useful summary:
Headline
“Test, Trace and Isolate has an important ongoing role in managing the virus and reduces the risk of potentially dangerous variants spreading. The Government expects the Test, Trace and Isolate system will remain necessary through the autumn and winter.” – para 22.
Details
The Covid-19 Response has action in 5 areas.
1. Reinforce the country’s vaccine wall of defence through booster jabs and driving take up.
Bring forward second dose for under 40s to 8 weeks after first dose.
Booster doses for most vulnerable. If possible, delivered alongside Flu
Consider JCVI advice on vaccination of children
Vaccination as condition of deployment for staff in car homes, consult on widening settings
2. Enable the public to make informed decisions through guidance, rather than laws.
Remove all legal restrictions on social contacts, life events and open all remaining settings
Covid-status certification not required in law. Organisations can ask visitors for proof, which government will enable
Remove legal requirements on face coverings.
End 1m+ and 2m rules. DsPH can advise on targeted time-limited rules if necessary.
No longer advise work from home. Covid-secure regs replaced by ‘working safely’ guidance. Encourage hand washing, ventilation, and outdoor space.
Encourage QR codes for customer check in using App, not a legal requirement
End school bubbles and routine tracing by schools. Tracing in schools triggered by an outbreak.
Under 18s who are contacts exempted from self-isolation in line with full vaccinated adults. More detail to follow.
Lift limit on 5 named visitors in care homes. Guidance on safe visits.
Keep guidance on ventilation, face masks, hand washing, covering nose and mouth when cough or sneeze, stay home if unwell, consider your individual risks.
3. Retain proportionate test, trace and isolate plans in line with international comparators.
· Symptomatic testing, tracing and isolation will remain key to monitoring and containing the spread of the virus, augmented by use of the NHS COVID-19 app (though checking in or providing contact details to venues will now be voluntary).
· Regular asymptomatic testing will continue focused on those not fully vaccinated, education, higher-risk settings such as the NHS, social care and prisons. Regular rapid testing offer continues. Community testing continues.
· Exempt fully vaccinated from the requirement to self-isolate if they are a contact. Further details will be published in due course
· Until at least the end of September, self-isolation enforcement and support will otherwise continue as it is now.
4. Manage risks at the border and support a global response to reduce the risk of variants emerging globally and entering the UK.
Retain robust controls at the border. VOCs pose biggest threat.
RAG country system continues with regular reviews of list.
Arrivals from amber countries who are fully vaccinated will no longer need to isolate. Details to be announced shortly.
Working with G7 on global vaccination. Developing new global pathogen surveillance network.
5. Retain contingency measures to respond to unexpected events, while accepting that further cases, hospitalisations and deaths will occur as the country learns to live with COVID-19.
Significant risks remain, particularly VOCs. May need to take measures to manage the virus during winter – will prioritise strengthened guidance and seek to avoid restrictions.
Will maintain contingency plans for restrictions at local, regional or national level – as last resort.
Maintain current regulations that allow LAs to respond to serious threats until 28 September.
Will publish an updated Covid-19 contain outbreak management framework in due course.
Covid-status certification not mandated for now, possible could be introduced in autumn or winter as a way of keeping events and business going.
The Government will continue monitoring data and will assess preparedness for autumn and winter later in the year.
