Aug 2021
Latest update: 20 August
Update for families and friends on self-isolation of residents, employees and visitors to OSJCT care homes.
Following the high uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination programme across the UK population, the government has removed the need for people to undertake a period of self-isolation in several scenarios. It is now no longer necessary for people who have had a full course of vaccines (and allowed two weeks to elapse) to self-isolate for the full 14 days in the following instances:
- Contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 if they don’t live in the same household.
- Residents who have had contact with someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 if they receive a negative PCR test before mixing with other residents and have an enhanced LFD testing regime for 10 days.
- Residents returning to a care home following a planned hospital stay.
- Residents transferring from another care facility.
- Residents moving into a care home from their own residence if they undergo an enhanced PCR and LFD testing regime for 10 days. *
- Employees who have had contact with someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 (but does not live with them) if they receive a negative PCR test before returning to work and have an enhanced LFD testing regime for 10 days.
*Residents moving into a care home who do not wish to have an enhanced testing regime may choose to undergo 14 days of in-room care with full support from our care teams.
(Self-isolation may be implemented in cases where there are high rates of transmission and variants of concern in the local community under the guidance of the local Public Health England teams.)
People who have not been fully vaccinated, will still need to self-isolate in those scenarios, in accordance with the national Stay at home guidance (COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Visitors to care homes
To ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable care home residents, government guidance also advises visitors to care homes who have been identified as a contact with someone with COVID-19 to avoid visiting for 10 days after contact unless absolutely necessary. Where visits are necessary, visitors must have a negative PCR result, and a negative LFD result on the day of their visit.
Scenarios where self-isolation is required
Self-isolation is still required for all care home employees and residents while awaiting PCR test results. Any employee or visitor who has tested positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate for 10 days. Any resident in a care home or high-risk setting must isolate for 14 days and will be fully supported with in room care during that time. This applies even if they are fully vaccinated. Vaccination reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of acquiring and transmitting infection.