“Living with COVID” plan
From Thursday 24th February, the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 has ended. However, you’ll still be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days.
Routine contact tracing will also end, so fully-vaccinated close contacts and those under 18 will no longer be legally required to test daily for seven days.
The £500 self-isolation support payment for people on low incomes who test positive for COVID will no longer be available, but provisions for increased statutory sick pay will apply for a further month.
Vaccinations
A booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is available for everyone aged 16 and over, and some children aged 12 to 15, who have had 2 doses of the vaccine at least 3 months ago. Everyone eligible is still being urged to walk in and “Grab a Jab”.
Some children aged 5 to 11 years old can now get a first and second dose of the vaccine, and some vulnerable adults are eligible for a fourth dose. If this applies to you or your child, you’ll receive an invitation from the NHS to book an appointment.
Please remember that you must wait 28 days after testing positive for COVID-19 before getting your next dose. Children are advised to wait 12 weeks.
You can use a walk-in centre or to book in advance, visit the National Vaccination Booking website, the NHS website or call 119.
Testing
For now, please keep testing regularly with lateral flow tests at home. You can pick these up from local pharmacies or order them for delivery to your home.
Community Testing sites are still available at Bingham Buttercross on Tuesdays from 9am to 3.30pm and Cotgrave Leisure Centre on Saturdays from 9am to 3.30pm.
If your lateral flow test is positive, it’s now no longer necessary to take a follow-up PCR test in most circumstances.
As part of the “Living with COVID” plan, free mass symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public will end on 1st April and will instead be targeted towards the most vulnerable. People with COVID symptoms will be asked to exercise personal responsibility when deciding whether to stay at home.
The current government guidance on COVID passports will also end and venues will no longer be advised to use the NHS Covid pass.
Find out more
To find out more about vaccinations and testing, please visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus. For the latest Government information on COVID-19, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus.