From yesterday, people across England will be required by law to self-isolate if they test positive for coronavirus or are contacted by NHS Test and Trace - and face considerable but necessary fines if they disregard the rules.
We all have a duty to follow the rules to help us beat coronavirus, now that the R number is increasing again, including washing hands, covering faces, making space, and the rule of six. This also means the requirement to self-isolate if tested positive for the virus. Indeed, this is the most effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus, keep the number of new infections down, and save lives.
For those who fail to do so, the law will be enforced. New fines starting at £1,000 and rising to £10,000 for repeat offenders come into force today, underlining our commitment to not allow those who break the rules to reverse the hard-won progress made by the law-abiding majority.
And recognising that self-isolation is one of the most powerful tools for controlling the transmission, a new Test and Trace Support payment of £500 will ensure that those on low incomes are able to self-isolate without worry about their finances.
These simple steps can make a huge difference to reduce the spread of the virus, but we will not hesitate to put in place further measures if cases continue to rise. We all need to work together as a country to get the spread of the virus down again so we can get the economy up and running again and return to our normal lives as quickly as possible.
Read more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-legal-duty-to-self-isolate-comes-into-force-today
