Covid-19 isolation policies and timescales (FOI)

Request

I would like to request a comprehensive documentation of the policies used to define the length of the isolation periods given to Islanders.

Please could this include the isolation lengths for the entire variety of circumstances that result in isolation eg testing positive, being a direct contact, travelling into the island, living in the same household as a positive case or direct contact and so on.

Could this also include an explanation of the justification behind the antibody testing of positive cases (given that this test is less reliable for detecting infection) and the isolation protocols for each of the possible antibody test results in isolating individuals.

Response

COVID-19 Isolation length requirements:

Individuals who have received a positive result for a PCR (swab) test;

• symptomatic: Isolate for seven days or 48 hours symptom free, whichever is longest

• asymptomatic: Isolate for 14 days from date of PCR swab

• Direct Contacts: Isolate until negative result from day 10 PCR test

• individuals travelling in to the island: See the following link:

Travelling to Jersey (safer travel guidance)

[Note: ‘Living in the same household as a positive case’ becomes direct contact. ‘Living in the same household as a direct contact’ is either a direct contact in their own right, or no isolation requirement unless a household member tests positive, at which point they become a direct contact.]

A clinical decision may be made for an individual to undergo a serology (antibody) test, if they have already tested positive for COVID-19 with a PCR (swab) test and are not experiencing symptoms. It is not used for diagnostic purposes but provides additional information on the likely timing of the infection:

• negative IGM and Negative IGG result

It is more likely you have been infected with COVID-19 very recently, as there are not enough antibodies in your blood for the test to detect them.

• positive IGM and Negative IGG result

Indicates that Coronavirus IgM antibodies have been detected in your blood sample.

This result normally appears around seven days after onset of infection and suggests that you could be contagious at the moment and could pass COVID-19 to others.

• positive IGM and Positive IGG result

Indicates that Coronavirus IgG and IgM antibodies have been detected in your blood sample. This result normally appears seven+ days after symptoms appear and could mean that you are contagious while your body is building up antibodies to the virus.

• negative IGM and Positive IGG result

Indicates that Coronavirus IgG antibodies have been detected in your blood sample.

This result indicates that you have been exposed to COVID-19 in the past but are not currently contagious, so cannot pass the infection to others.

Isolation requirements are therefore as follows:

• negative IGM and Negative IGG result – 14 days isolation from date of PCR swab

• positive IGM and Negative IGG result – seven days isolation from date of serology test

• positive IGM and Positive IGG result – seven days isolation from date of serology test

• negative IGM and Positive IGG result – No isolation required following serology result