Citation and commencement

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021.

(2) These Regulations come into force at 4.00 a.m. on 30th November 2021.

Amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations 2020

2. —(1)The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations 2020 are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2(2), in sub-paragraph (n), in the opening words, for “or (b)”, substitute “, (ba) or (c)” .

(3) In regulation 2B—

(a) after paragraph (1)(a), insert—

“ (ba) they have had close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus and that person is suspected of, or confirmed as, having an Omicron variant, or

(c) a child in respect of whom they are a responsible adult has had close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus and that person is suspected of, or confirmed as, having an Omicron variant. ” ;

(b) after paragraph (2), insert—

“ (3A) Where paragraph (1)(ba) applies, the person notified must self-isolate for the period of self-isolation.

(3B) Where paragraph (1)(c) applies, R must secure, so far as reasonably practicable, that the child self-isolates for the period of self-isolation. ” ;

(c) in paragraphs (4) and (5), after “P”, insert “, or R where P is a child,” ;

(d) after paragraph (5), insert—

“ (5A) Paragraph (5B) applies where P is an adult and a relevant person notifies P that the person who tested positive for coronavirus with whom P has had close contact does not have, or is no longer suspected of having, an Omicron variant.

(5B) In a case referred to in paragraph (5A), paragraph (1)(a) applies to P from the point at which the notification is received. ” .

(e) after paragraph (8), insert—

“ (9) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(ba) and (c), a person (“A”) who has tested positive for coronavirus is suspected of, or confirmed as, having an Omicron variant where molecular testing (including PCR tests, genotyping or sequencing) has identified that A is suspected of having, or does have, an Omicron variant. ” .

(4) In regulation 3(4), in the opening words, after “2B(1)(a)”, insert “, (ba) or (c)” .

(5) In regulation 5(1)—

(a) after the definition of “coronavirus related research”, insert—

“ “Omicron variant” means the SARS-CoV-2 variant designated as B.1.1.529 by the World Health Organization; ” ;

(b) in the definition of “P”, for “or 2B(2)”, substitute “2B(2), (3A) or (3B)” .

(6) In regulation 10(4), after “regulation 2A”, insert “or 2B” .

(7) In regulation 14(4D)(a)—

(a) at the end of paragraph (i), omit “or”;

(b) in paragraph (ii), at the end, insert “or” ;

(c) after paragraph (ii), insert—

“ (iii) regulation 2B(1)(ba) or (c) applies to the individual, because they have had close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus and that person is suspected of, or confirmed as, having an Omicron variant; ” .