Currently, all direct contacts must quarantine for at least ten days but under the new rules, secondary school students will only have to confine themselves until receiving a negative result from a day-five test. They will be also tested on day zero and ten.
Meanwhile, nursery and primary school children will only have to isolate until they receive their first negative test result. They will also be tested on day five and ten.
In addition, children and young people isolating will be allowed to leave the house – under supervision – for fresh air and exercise in open, uncrowded spaces. While not being allowed to return to school, children will not also need to be confined to a single room of their home.
The new rules come into force at midnight on 30 June.
