London: The law will require people across England from Monday to isolate themselves if they test positive for the coronavirus or face a fine of 1,000 pounds, which increases to 10,000 pounds for repeat offenders.
The government said that since the infection is spreading rapidly again across the country, the stricter measures are aimed at ensuring compliance and reducing the spread of COVID-19.
These new measures are aimed at saving lives. Everyone should take personal responsibility and isolate themselves if they test positive or if the NHS Test and Trace asks them to, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said.
For those who don’t, the police will enforce the law. These new fines are a clear sign that we will not allow rule breakers to reverse the progress made so hard by the law-abiding majority, he said.
Fines for non-compliance with legal self-isolation requirements start at £ 1,000, in line with the existing fine for breaking quarantine after international travel.
This could go up to 10,000 pounds for repeat offenses and the most serious offenses, including those that prevent others from isolating themselves.
The government said employers who force or allow staff to come to work when they should isolate themselves will also be liable for fines of up to 10,000 pounds, as a clear message that this will not be tolerated.
Those with lower incomes who are unable to work from home and can show that they have lost income as a result of the mandatory quarantine, which lasts around 14 days, will also be eligible for a new test-and-trace support payment of 500 pounds.
The rules go into effect as infections continue to rise across the UK, but only 18 percent of people with symptoms of the deadly virus go into isolation, according to a study commissioned by the UK government.
As cases increase, it is imperative that we take action and we are introducing a legal duty to isolate ourselves when directed, with fines for non-compliance and new support payment of £ 500 for those with lower incomes who cannot work from home while isolating themselves, said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
These simple steps can make a big difference in reducing the spread of the virus, but we will not hesitate to implement more measures if cases continue to rise, he said.
Local authorities will set up test and trace support payment schemes before October 12, but those who are told to self-isolate starting Monday will receive retroactive payments if eligible.
Councils across the country are working at a pace to establish new self-isolation support payment schemes and ensure that people in their communities have the information and advice they need to stay safe and reduce the spread of the virus, said Robert. Jenrick, Minister of Communities. and Local Government.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, councils have played a crucial role in supporting businesses and their communities, and I want to thank them for their hard work as they implement this new support for those who need to isolate themselves, he said.
Under rules that are already in place and can now be legally enforced, if someone or another member of your household has symptoms of coronavirus, they should immediately self-quarantine or isolate themselves.
If someone receives a positive test result, they should self-isolate during the period ending 10 days after showing symptoms or after the test date if they had no symptoms.
Other members of your household should self-isolate for the period ending 14 days after the onset of symptoms or after the date of the initial person’s positive test.
If someone receives self-isolation instructions by NHS Test and Trace, because they have had close contact with someone outside their home who has tested positive, they are also legally required to self-isolate during the period reported by NHS Test and Trace.
Both household and non-household contacts should self-isolate for the entire period regardless of whether they have symptoms and, if they develop symptoms and are tested, regardless of whether any tests performed to give a negative result.
Some of the steps being taken to enforce the new laws include a team of NHS Test and Trace call handlers increasing contact with self-isolators and the use of law enforcement resources to verify compliance in areas of higher incidence and in high-risk groups, according to local intelligence.
The government has warned that notorious and egregious cases of non-compliance will be investigated and prosecuted, as people are encouraged to report quarantine violations as third parties.
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