Re: Reducing the covid-19 isolation period in England: a policy change that needs careful evaluation
Dear Editor
I thank Dr Gerda Pohl and colleagues for their response to my article, based on their experience with the Gurkha Welfare Trust, which provides primary healthcare services to around 20,000 ex-Gurkha veterans in Nepal. Firstly, let me start by commending the Gurkha veterans for their long-standing contribution to the British Army. Gurkhas have been renowned for decades for their courage and military discipline.
Dr Pohl and colleagues provide interesting new data showing that some people may remain infectious after a 7-day isolation period, particularly if they have not had a previous Covid-19 infection. Their data reaffirms the need to monitor the impact of changes in Covid-19 policies in England on areas such as infection rates, hospitalizations & deaths. There is also a need to identify any outbreaks that may have been triggered by the early ending of isolation in people who have had a recent Covid-19 infection. This becomes even more important now that England may soon end its mandatory legal isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
16 February 2022
Azeem Majeed
Professor of Primary Care and Public Health
Imperial College London
Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Reynolds Building, London W6 8RP
Rapid Response:
Re: Reducing the covid-19 isolation period in England: a policy change that needs careful evaluation
Dear Editor
I thank Dr Gerda Pohl and colleagues for their response to my article, based on their experience with the Gurkha Welfare Trust, which provides primary healthcare services to around 20,000 ex-Gurkha veterans in Nepal. Firstly, let me start by commending the Gurkha veterans for their long-standing contribution to the British Army. Gurkhas have been renowned for decades for their courage and military discipline.
Dr Pohl and colleagues provide interesting new data showing that some people may remain infectious after a 7-day isolation period, particularly if they have not had a previous Covid-19 infection. Their data reaffirms the need to monitor the impact of changes in Covid-19 policies in England on areas such as infection rates, hospitalizations & deaths. There is also a need to identify any outbreaks that may have been triggered by the early ending of isolation in people who have had a recent Covid-19 infection. This becomes even more important now that England may soon end its mandatory legal isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19.
Competing interests: No competing interests