U.K. Plans to Cut Covid-19 Isolation Period, Sunday Times Says

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. plans to cut the self-isolation period to as little as a week for people living with those with Covid-19 to encourage more to follow the rules, the Sunday Times reported, citing unnamed government officials.

The new rules, which may come into force in two weeks, will reduce the isolation period to a maximum of 10 days, with one week being the preferred period, the newspaper said. The country currently requires those who’ve come into contact with people who test positive to isolate for two weeks, with fines of up to 10,000 pounds ($13,000) for non-compliance.

Separately, the government is considering making senior bankers, hedge-fund managers and executives traveling from overseas exempt from the 14-day quarantine period, in an effort to “promote global Britain,” the paper said.

Airlines and airport officials have urged the U.K. to scrap mandatory quarantines, which they say are stifling demand, and replace it with testing regimes. Earlier this month, Transport Minister Grant Shapps said that the government was considering replacing the two-week isolation with one week, followed by a test.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.