UK self-isolation period to be cut to 10 days

The move was confirmed by the UK’s four chief medical officers on Friday (11 December) after Wales cut its self-isolation requirement to 10 days earlier this week.

In a statement, they said: "After reviewing the evidence, we are now confident we can reduce the number of days that contacts self-isolate from 14 days to 10.

"People who return from countries which are not on the travel corridor list should also self-isolate for 10 days instead of 14 days."

Additionally, from 15 December, arrivals into England from non-travel corridor destinations will be able to use the government’s "test and release" scheme to potentially leave quarantine after just five days.

They can opt to take a test on the fifth day of their self-isolation requirement which, if negative, will allow them to leave quarantine early.