The isolation period for fully vaccinated people is to be reduced from seven to five days from Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has announced.
Javid told the House of Commons that recent data from the UK Health Security Agency found that "around two-thirds of positive cases are no longer infectious by the end of day five,” and that the isolation period will be slashed, provided a negative test is produced on days five and six.
Calls for a reduction in isolation period have grown to high levels of absenteeism at NHS and other workplaces due to a high number of staff being forced to isolate.
Data from the Office of National Statistics showed that roughly 3% of the workforce was unable to work due illness or COVID, the largest percentage since comparable figures began in June 2020.
The hospitality sector was arguably hit the most with quarantine rules, affecting both staff and customers.
Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Landsown said companies built on face-to-face services have suffered most.
“They have also been the worst hit by a raft of cancellations, with 64% of such businesses affected by an increase in customers abandoning appointments.”
”The data also shows how Omicron, and the government guidance to scrap party plans badly affected the hospitality industry – with 44% of accommodation and food services firms reporting an increase in cancellations.”
Shares in pub owners JD Wetherspoon rose 2% to 936p, Mitchells & Butler by 1.2% to 1,395p though Fuller Smith & Turner (AIM:FSTA) dipped 3% to 714p .