Isolation After Negative Test

Islawight4

Hi.  I recently returned from Majorca, after 5 days of returning I took a Covid Test, which I paid for Privately, the result has come back today as Negative.  I have a few questions.

• My employer is advising that I am unable to return to work even with a negative test and that I should continue to work from home until the 14 days has passed - Is this still a requirement from UK Government, even with a Negative Test?

• Within my company we have employees who are regularly travelling to Denmark, which is also on the quarantine list.  Theses employees are returning to the UK and returning to work without quarantine.  I do not understand why the rule is different for them.  If I had been on holiday to Denmark I would have had to isolate for 14 days but because it is work, they do not have to, where is the sense in this?
• With a negative test, although being told I am unable to return to work, am I able to go outside for exercise etc or do I still have to wait for the 14 days?  I do not understand the point of having a test, it being negative but the 14 day rule still applies.

Thank you for any information.

bradders1983

The negative test doesnt change any of the rules I am afraid. 

As for the people coming back from Denmark and going straight back into work, this may be against the law. Who is telling them they have to come in? The employer? Saying that, there are exeptions for people who travel regularly but I have no idea how regular this has to be. There are also exemptions for certain industries.

[Deleted User]

Your negative test doesn’t mean you won’t develop it subsequently within that 14 days and therefore would test positive if tested again. 

Yahoo_Mail

bradders1983 said:

The negative test doesnt change any of the rules I am afraid. 

As for the people coming back from Denmark and going straight back into work, this may be against the law. Who is telling them they have to come in? The employer? Saying that, there are exeptions for people who travel regularly but I have no idea how regular this has to be. There are also exemptions for certain industries.

At least once a week according to Gov.uk

superbigal

Yes I suspect Majorca was maybe not a business trip ?

Islawight4

Yahoo_Mail said:

bradders1983 said:

The negative test doesnt change any of the rules I am afraid. 

As for the people coming back from Denmark and going straight back into work, this may be against the law. Who is telling them they have to come in? The employer? Saying that, there are exeptions for people who travel regularly but I have no idea how regular this has to be. There are also exemptions for certain industries.

At least once a week according to Gov.uk

They aren' travelling that regularly!!!  I have raised this with my employer

Islawight4

superbigal said:

Yes I suspect Majorca was maybe not a business trip ?

No, it was for leisure.

Dr_Crypto

No you can't end quarantine with a negative test.
There is a long list of exemptions which are mostly based on occupation rather than the purpose of the travel. I personally wouldn't get involved with what other people are doing and why. 

zagfles

There's a lot of apparent illogicality in the rules, but I suspect the reason for this one is you'd get spongers coming back from abroad and then to avoid the quarantine, rather than pay for a test like you did, get a free NHS test by lying and pretending they've got some symptoms, ticking whatever boxes need ticking for the free test, and so putting even more pressure on the testing system.

With the employees who travel for work, it's a bit like in lockdown you could have someone visit your house for work eg a plumber but you couldn't (and some of us still can't) have people round to socialise. Same with having to wear masks in shops and public transport but not pubs, restaurants, workplaces etc.

superbigal

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules

https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk

Islawight4

It appears that as my company is a Manufacturing company, then some workers can travel without quaratineif they have 'specialist technical skills for essential or emergency works or services (including construction, commissioning, installation, maintenance, and repairs and safety checks) to ensure the continued production, supply, movement, manufacture, storage or preservation of goods'.
Still makes no sense to me that they do not quaratine when they return, they can spread the virus as easily as anyone else, what protection does this offer the rest of the workforce??