Covid: Reducing self-quarantine to five days must be supported by evidence, says the NHS chief.

Decrease COVID NHS bosses suggest that a self-quarantine period of 7 to 5 days does not cause a surge in coronavirus infection.

Under the current rules In the United Kingdom, those who received negative lateral flow results on the 6th and 7th days of the self-isolation period (when tested at 24-hour intervals) no longer need to be indoors for 10 days. ..

However, the self-isolation of staff is with the company NHS under severe tension..

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These calls are gaining momentum after US health officials have halved the recommended quarantine time for asymptomatic Covid patients by 10 to 5 days.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most infections with the virus occur two days before and three days after symptoms appear.

But while acknowledging that the absence of staff is now a major issue in medical services, Matthew Taylor, CEO of the NHS Confederation, said the data were inadequate to follow the American example. I did.

Taylor suggested that he had never seen a process for assessing evidence of disconnection isolation for the BBC Radio 4 Today program.

He states: “Government needs to get scientific advice and evaluate the risk balance here, but it is important to recognize that there are risks in what we do. Very clear that it does not increase infection rates. Based on good evidence. “

He pointed out the fact that Omicron is a new variant and although the number of Covid patients requiring mechanical ventilation is declining, Covid hospitalization is still increasing.

According to NHS data, 8% of UK Covid patients on Tuesday were in beds requiring mechanical ventilation compared to 13% at the beginning of the month.

Approximately 842 Covid-infected persons were in ventilator beds on December 22, compared to the peak of 4,076 on January 22 across the UK.

“It is also important to recognize that hospitals are full of very vulnerable people, and for them even relatively mild viruses can have serious consequences. Therefore, everyone on the NHS We would be glad if people could come. If we went back to work before and they were safe, we absolutely have to be sure that’s the case, “Taylor added. rice field.

Workers also said the government should avoid “rushing” to reduce Covid’s quarantine time.

“These decisions should always be driven by the advice of Chief Medical Officers and Chief Scientific Advisors,” said Shadow Work and Pension Secretary Jonathan Ashworth.

“I leave it to them to give them their judgment on this.”

The minister said it was necessary to ensure that people could get a test of lateral flow-it is lacking in some areas-so they have negative consequences. You can later be released from isolation.

“The minister needs to keep track of these shrines,” Ashworth said.

Meanwhile, NHS provider boss Chris Hopson said that many medical services now have a “bigger challenge” than the number of patients in need of Covid’s treatment due to staff shortages caused by quarantine. He said he was worried about it.

These staff shortages are consistent with warnings from UK pharmacies that the lack of lateral flow testing is causing “huge” problems as people have requested them on a regular basis during Christmas. increase.

Leila Hambeck, CEO of the Independent Multiple Pharmacy Association, said the current daily supply of nearly 900,000 doses of immunochromatography is not sufficient to meet demand.

on Tuesday, The UK recorded the most confirmed daily Covid-19 cases to date Because the Omicron variant continued to spread nationwide.The government said the UK recorded an additional 129,471 confirmed cases. 122,186 previous records reported on Christmas Eve..

But despite the soaring numbers Sajid Javid, Minister of Health He said there would be no new restrictions before the New Year in England, in contrast to the stricter regulations for the delegated government.

Instead, Boris Johnson Faced with criticism of the decision not to impose anything, urged people to celebrate the New Year in a “careful and wise way” New curb According to some scientists.

Some experts say it is better to intervene and overreact now than to end unrestricted social mixing and increase deaths and hospitalizations.

However, the government emphasizes that the data is constantly being reviewed while the data continues. Promotion of booster vaccination To tackle an increasing number of incidents.

Prime Minister urges “careful and wise” New Year’s Eve celebrations

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister said the government evaluated the “risk balance” in the decision-making process.

He explained: “Yes, there are data showing more cases and more hospitalizations, but it is the level of booster immune resistance or the level of vaccine-induced resistance in the population that makes a big difference.”