UK health officials backtrack on US Covid isolation comparison

UKHSA previously said isolation period was in effect the same in both countries

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Health officials have clarified that the recommended Covid self-isolation period in the US is shorter than in the UK at a time when the prime minister is considering reducing it to five days.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) previously said the isolation period was in effect the same in both countries. It said the recommended minimum of six full days in the UK was counted from the onset of symptoms, while in the US, the five-day isolation began from the day of a positive test, which could be several days after the first symptoms.