Covid: Jersey relaxes contact tracing isolation rules

The Covid alert app sends an exposure warning to those who may have been in close contact with an infected person

Jersey is relaxing isolation rules relating to those identified as Covid-19 direct contacts.

From 00:01 BST on Friday direct contacts with no symptoms of Covid-19 will not need to isolate.

Instead they will need to take one test as soon as they have been identified as a direct contact, and should "remain cautious" in what they do over the following 10 days.

Islanders with symptoms and anyone not getting tested must still isolate.

Those with symptoms should call the helpline to be prioritised for a test.

Ministers say they have made the changes to "better align with vaccination coverage and to prioritise symptomatic islanders who require a test".

Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, said: "Our testing strategy has always used a risk-based approach, and our testing programme was designed to contain the spread of the virus, protect our borders and our island community.

"We know a third of symptomatic islanders who call to the helpline seeking healthcare are positive with Covid.

"We also know that symptomatic Covid-positive islanders are more likely to infect others. Therefore, the revision to the current strategy will ensure symptomatic islanders and islanders who are direct contacts will receive tests as quickly as possible when they are most needed."

Passengers arriving in Jersey who are not fully vaccinated will still be required to test on arrival and isolate until they receive a negative test result, but will no longer be required to undertake a day eight test.

Fully vaccinated passengers will still be required to undertake a test on arrival and do not need to isolate.

Jersey has 1,876 active cases after reporting 277 confirmed new cases on Wednesday.

Follow BBC Jersey on Twitter and Facebook. Send any story ideas to [e-mail].