DFE: Assisted Testing

Guidance on all aspects of Assisted Testing can be found on the secondary schools document sharing platform.

Close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case in all education and childcare sectors

From Monday 16 August unvaccinated young people up to the age of 18 years and 6 months and fully vaccinated adults, are no longer required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19.

Those identified as a close contact will be informed by NHS Test and Trace that they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We strongly encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so. There is no requirement to self-isolate while awaiting PCR test results and so individuals can attend their setting as usual.

Children and young people who attend an education or childcare setting and who have been identified as a close contact, should continue to attend their setting as normal.

18-year-olds will be treated in the same way as children and young people until 6 months after their 18th birthday, to allow them the opportunity to get fully vaccinated. At which point, they will be subject to the same rules as adults and so if they choose not to get vaccinated, they will need to self-isolate if identified as a close contact.

We have updated the frequently asked questions on changes to contact tracing of close contacts and self-isolation. These can all be found on the document sharing platforms for primary and early years, secondary schools, further education and higher education and children’s social care.