The proportion of people who fully self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 has fallen sharply since the rules were scrapped in England at the end of February, a new survey suggests.
Just over half (53%) of people questioned said they had followed the full advice for self-isolating, down from four in five (80%) in February when isolation was a legal requirement.
The survey was carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between March 17 and 26, nearly a month since the Government removed all rules for self-isolation in England on February 24.
Levels of compliance with the self-isolation guidance were lower among 18 to 34-year-olds (48%) and 35 to 54-year-olds (53%) than among people aged 55 and over (56%), the ONS found.
They were also lower for males (49%) than females (55%).
However, almost all (98%) respondents agreed that it is important to follow self-isolation advice.
Tim Gibbs, head of the ONS public services analysis team, said: “Today’s data show compliance with self-isolation advice was notably lower compared with levels reported earlier in the year.
We’ve released new data on self-isolation after testing positive for #COVID19 in England (data collected between 17 and 26 Mar 2022).
Compliance with self-isolation rules was significantly lower than levels reported in early Mar (64%) and Feb (80%) https://t.co/muP1vFdN9J pic.twitter.com/zyoUGA7a67
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) April 20, 2022
“It is important to note that self-isolation was advised but not legally required during the time of data collection.
“Of those who did not fully follow self-isolation advice, the most common reason for those leaving the house was for outdoor recreation or exercise.”
The survey also shows that 55% of respondents who left their homes during self-isolation or while they had symptoms said they had worn a mask every time they went outside, down from 66% in February.
Some 91% of respondents said they had no difficulty accessing Covid-19 tests – although the survey was carried out before free testing was ended for most people in England on April 1.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) said they would still take a test if they had to buy one.
The ONS noted the survey has a relatively small number of respondents (1,286 adults in England) who have self-reported their behaviour, and as such care needs to be taken when interpreting the results.
