Hello, someone I work with has just said about their partner (who they live with). Has come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID. The partner hasnt got symptoms but has wrongly decided to get a test. The person who I work with and I have gotten into a bit of an argument as until recently the NHS website said all household members are to self-isolate whilst waiting for COVID results. I cannot find this on the website anymore. Have the rules changed? TIA

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae

If you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 Stay at home and self-isolate. Do not go to work, school, or public areas and do not use public transport or taxis.

Your isolation period includes the day the first person in your household’s symptoms started (or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms, whether this was an LFD or PCR test), and the next 10 full days. This means that if, for example, your 10 day isolation period starts on the 15th of the month, your isolation period ends at 23:59 hrs on the 25th and you can return to your normal routine.

If you do not have symptoms of COVID-19 yourself, you do not need a test. Only arrange a test if you develop COVID-19 symptoms or if you are asked to do so as part of a wider testing scheme. If for any reason you have a negative test result during your 10 day isolation period, you must continue to self-isolate. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you could still pass the infection on to others. Stay at home for the full 10 days to avoid putting others at risk.

If you develop symptoms while you are isolating, arrange to have a COVID-19 PCR test. If your test result is positive, follow the advice for people with COVID-19 to stay at home and start a further full 10 day isolation period. This begins when your symptoms started, regardless of where you are in your original 10 day isolation period. This means that your total isolation period will be longer than 10 days.

If other household members develop symptoms during this period, you do not need to isolate for longer than 10 days.

If you are identified as a contact and asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, including by the NHS COVID-19 app you may be entitled to a payment of £500 from your local authority under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme.

Failure to comply with self-isolation may result in a fine, starting from £1,000. Parents or guardians are legally responsible for ensuring that anyone under 18 self-isolates if they test positive for COVID-19 and are contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told to self-isolate.