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People in Guernsey will no longer have to isolate if they test positive for covid from next Thursday.
The island’s travel restrictions will also be ending on 17 February.
The decision was announced by the island’s Civil Contingencies Authority – the group of politicians and officials responsible for emergency decision-making – this afternoon.
It comes on the same day that Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that isolation would be scrapped for covid-positive people by the end of February - one month earlier than initially anticipated.
The CCA said that next Thursday will see the end of all strict legal controls to manage the pandemic, with the public instead encouraged to “act responsibly” and follow guidelines.
Pictured: Covid-related travel rules will also be coming to an end in the Bailiwick next week.
“Today’s announcement is hugely significant as it marks the date – 17 February 2022 - when the emergency powers, which have impacted all of our lives in the last two years, will no longer be used for the ongoing management of covid-19,” the island’s Chief Minister and CCA Chair, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, explained.
“While we can of course never say never in terms of needing to move backwards and use them again, now is the right time to move the Bailiwick out of an emergency and begin managing covid-19 without the use of regulations.
"Everyone must heed the public health advice and we must develop a culture where it is considered unacceptable for someone to be out and about willingly and knowingly spreading their germs if they are unwell."
Jersey has so far lifted the legal requirement to wear masks and for businesses to collect contact tracing details. This week, all travel restrictions were also removed and contact tracing ended in schools and colleges.
However, apart from those in education settings, all individuals with covid are still required to isolate and declare their direct contacts.
The island is working towards a goal of removing all covid restrictions – including the need to isolate for positive people – by the end of March.
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