Staff Isolation Tool

Have you tested positive for Covid-19 from an LFD or PCR test?

Yes No

Decision - Self isolation required

If your LFD or PCR test is positive, then you must self-isolate and inform your line manager and/or clinical lead. You must self-isolate for a minimum of 5 full days. The isolation period includes the day the symptoms started (or the day your positive test was taken if you did not have symptoms at the time), also described as Day 0. You should not take a further LFD test before Day 5. If you have no fever and feel well enough to return to work from Day 6, you must have had a negative LFD test on Day 5 and Day 6 and reported this at Gov.uk. We request that staff required to take a LFD test do so early in the morning on both Day five and Day six, thereby enabling an immediate return to work on Day six. Those leaving self-isolation before day 10 are advised to limit close contact with others outside their household. If following two negative LFD tests you return to work on day 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, then you are asked to avoid taking a break together with colleagues, and if involved in direct (less than 2m) patient care asked to wear a fit-tested non-valved FFP3 mask or equivalent when providing care, and continue with daily LFD tests as an extra precaution until Day 11.

Have you had significant contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case in your household or elsewhere?

Yes No

DECISION - Return to work

If you have not been informed nor aware that you are a significant contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19, you do not have any symptoms, and you do not have a positive COVID-19 lateral flow (LFD) self-test, then there is no need to self-isolate or request a PCR test. Please perform a routine LFD self-test twice-weekly to exclude asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. Order from the UK Government website here.

Have you received both COVID-19 vaccinations, with the second dose being more than 14 days ago?

Yes No

You can return to work following a negative Covid-19 LFD and PCR test

If you have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, you should perform a Covid-19 LFD test. If your LFD test is positive then you should continue to self-isolate and may not require a confirmatory PCR test (see guidance). If your LFD test is negative then you should request a PCR test with the aim to return to work. If you have no symptoms and have obtained a negative Covid-19 LFD and PCR test you can return to work. HOWEVER, you will need to complete daily LFD lateral flow tests before attending work each day for 10 days. If you develop any symptoms, request a Covid-19 PCR. All LFD test results are to be registered on the Gov.uk site and proof of confirmation will be required at the start of every shift. Staff should avoid having their breaks with colleagues, and wear fit-tested non-valved FFP3-masks or equivalent PPE whilst providing patient care, during their 10 day follow-up period. Staff working in haematology/oncology/renal medicine should discuss temporary redeployment with their line manager or clinical lead.

DECISION - Stay at Home

If your household member/significant contact tested positive for Covid-19 from an LFD or PCR test, and you are not fully vaccinated for Covid-19, then stay home and isolate. Your isolation period includes the day the first person in your household’s symptoms started (or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms) and the next 10 full days. Please inform your line manager as soon as possible, and report your absence to the Empactis line if you are unable to work from home. You must be fully vaccinated by 1st of April if you are a patient-facing unless medically exempt, and there is a minimum period between each vaccine dose, however if you develop a COVID-19 infection then you should not receive a dose of vaccine within 4 weeks of your infection.

Have you had two consecutive (with 24 hour interval) negative LFDs between day 5 and day 10 of your self-isolation?

Yes No

DECISION – You can return to work following a negative LFD test

If you feel well enough to return to work between Day 6 and Day 10, you must have obtained a negative LFD test on two consecutive days before you return to work, and reported this on the NHS Test and Trace website. We request that staff required to take a LFD test do so early in the morning (or after waking up prior to working a night shift) on both Day five and Day six, thereby enabling an immediate return to work on Day six if both are negative. Those leaving self-isolation at home before Day 11 are strongly advised to limit close contact with others outside their household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces. If you return to work on Day 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 following a second negative LFD, then you are asked to avoid taking a break together with colleagues and if involved in direct patient care, to wear a fit-tested non-valved FFP3 mask or equivalent when providing care as an extra precaution until Day 11.

Decision – Continue to self-isolate

It is not unusual for an LFD test to be still positive after Day 5, and if this is the case, please continue to self-isolate prior to Day 11 until you have obtained two consecutive negative LFD tests taken at least 24 hours apart. If after obtaining two consecutive negative LFD tests you return to work on Day 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, then you are asked to avoid taking a break together with colleagues and if involved in direct patient care, to wear a fit-tested non-valved FFP3 mask or equivalent when providing care as an extra precaution until Day 11. Those leaving self-isolation at home before Day 10 are strongly advised to limit close contact with others outside their household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.

Have you had a positive LFD test on day 10 of your isolation?

Yes No

Decision – Continue to self-isolate

Non-patient facing staff can stop LFD testing and return to work on Day 11 if asymptomatic. If your LFD test result continues to be positive on Day 10 and your work is normally patient-facing, then you should continue to take daily LFD tests and not return to patient-facing work until a single negative LFD test result is received prior to Day 15. It is unusual for an LFD test to be still positive on Day 14. Therefore, if you have recovered from symptoms and your LFD test is still positive on Day 14, you can return to work on Day 15 if you are not severely immunocompromised. If you believe you are severely immunocompromised then discuss your return to work with Occupational Health (Team Prevent). You should not take a further LFD test until 90 days after your first positive LFD test, unless you have a new significant contact with a Covid-19 case. A persistent loss of smell/taste or occasional cough is not a reason to continue to self-isolate since this is not associated with infectiousness.

Decision – Return to work

If you have a single negative LFD test on day 10, and feel well enough, you can return to work

Self Isolation Tool