Welcome to our latest Coffee Break in which we look at the latest legal and practical developments for UK employers

Covid-19 update

This week, the prime minister, Boris Johnson, announced the government's "Living with Covid" plan, which sets out how it will manage the transition over the coming months from legal restrictions and specific government guidance to personal responsibility. In summary:

• From Thursday 24 February, the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive Covid-19 test will end (coupled with an end to self-isolation payments where applicable). Routine contract tracing will also come to an end and close contacts will no longer need to test daily for seven days where they are fully vaccinated or self-isolate for those who are not fully vaccinated. However, those who have Covid-19 symptoms will be advised to stay at home for at least five full days until they have received two negative results on consecutive days. Those with Covid-19 symptoms will also be encouraged to inform their close contacts so that they can take steps to reduce the risk to themselves and others; government guidance on this is awaited. From 1 April, those with symptoms will be left to exercise their own personal responsibility but supported by ongoing guidance on how people with Covid-19 can minimise contact with other people, reducing the risk of transmission.
• From 1 April, free asymptomatic and symptomatic testing for the public generally will come to an end (although tests...

Read Full Story: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=8e1fcbde-2911-446f-ad63-917d77...