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UK to extend self-isolation period to 10 days instead of seven in England

People with COVID-19 symptoms in England will be required to self-isolate for 10 days instead of seven, according to reports

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce that people with COVID-19 symptoms in England will be required to self-isolate for 10 days instead of seven. 

The announcement to be released on Thursday comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently underlined the importance of quarantine for travelers in order to avoid a "second wave" of coronavirus infections in Europe.

Europe is beset by the health crisis with more than 2.8 million cases and over 210, 000 fatalities. Spain, the UK and Italy top the list of worst-hit countries in the green continent.

"At the moment you have got to stick with the guidance that we are giving, we have given the guidance now about Spain and about some other places around the world," Johnson said.

Critics of the British government's stance on the self-isolation extension, however, say there is no such thing as a second wave.

Professor Keith Neal, an expert in infectious diseases, characterized the rise in cases as a "resurgence," saying a "second wave" would imply the reemergence of the virus after total eradication. 

Neal added that countries across Europe are "learning to live" with the virus by taking precautions such as social distancing and the use of masks.

Latest data shows there are more than 300,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and some 46,000 deaths across the UK.

 


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