Covid: New rules on coronavirus testing in England and Scotland

Important new rules around testing for coronavirus in the UK have been announced.

The new rules state that if you get a positive lateral flow test but have no Covid-19 symptoms, you will no longer need to get a follow-up PCR test to confirm your result.

Instead, you will need to immediately self-isolate for seven days. Self-isolation can end when two lateral flow tests, taken 24 hours apart on days six and seven, show negative results.

This new rule will start from today in Northern Ireland, on Thursday in Scotland and Wales, and from Tuesday 11 January in England.

The announcement comes in the week children return to school after the festive break, with secondary school pupils across the UK being ask to take regular lateral flow tests.

On Wednesday, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also announced that the self-isolation period will be brought down from 10 days to seven, in line with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scotland says that people who have had a booster and are living with someone who has coronavirus will not need to self-isolate as long as they regularly take lateral flow tests which show negative results.