Can you go out if you’ve got Covid? The current rules

It’s been quite some time since the first Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020.

Almost three years on, and coronavirus is still spreading among the population – so you could fall ill with the virus’ myriad symptoms, such as a high temperature, continuous cough, body aches and exhaustion.

If you do feel unwell – or frustratingly find yourself staring at a positive test – you may be wondering what you can and can’t do, as of December 2022.

Do you still have to self-isolate? Or is it no longer legally required that you stay at home away from others?

And what does the NHS recommend you do now?

Here’s all you need to know.

Can you go out if you’ve got Covid? What the latest rules say

At the time of writing, gov.uk says there are no Covid-19-related restrictions in the UK.

There’s currently no law requiring you to self-isolate or restrict your movement if you have Covid-19 – so technically, if you wanted to, you could go out if you had the illness.

However the government website says: ‘If you have Covid-19 you should try to stay at home.’

It then points to advice from the NHS for what to do if you’ve got Covid-19 – which clearly states that you should ‘try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people’.

The advice is for those who’ve had a positive test – or those have symptoms of the virus, a high temperature, or ‘do not feel well enough to go to work or do [their] normal activities’.

Essentially, the NHS recommends staying at home if you feel unwell, suspect your symptoms are Covid-19, or know you’ve got it.

Specifically, the health service advises people who have had a positive test result to stay home for five days, and avoid anyone who is a higher risk for Covid-19 for 10 days – starting from the day AFTER you did the test.

For under 18s who have a positive test, the NHS says they should stay home and avoid others for three days.

It states: ‘Children and young people tend to be infectious to others for less time than adults.

‘If they’re well and do not have a temperature after 3 days, there’s a much lower risk that they’ll pass on Covid-19 to others.’

Find the full official NHS guidance here.

If you just feel unwell but you haven’t tested for Covid-19 (so haven’t got a positive or negative result), it’s advised you stay home and avoid other people too – though there’s no specific timeframe attached.

The NHS says you can resume your daily activities when you feel well enough and don’t have a high temperature.

If you do have to go out while positive for Covid-19 or while suffering symptoms, the NHS has also information on how to minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19 while out and about.

This includes keeping your mouth covered if you cough or sneeze, washing hands thoroughly afterwards and before you eat/handle food, plus avoiding indoor or crowded areas.

It also advises you ‘wear a face covering that fits snugly against your face and has more than one layer’.

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