Encouraging self-isolation to prevent the spread of Covid-19

In ‘Encouraging self-isolation to prevent the spread of Covid-19’, experts from the BPS share recommendations to help the public, health workers and test and trace call handlers appreciate the importance of self-isolation and practical ways to achieve this.

Lead author, Professor Madelynne Arden, said:

“The NHS test and trace services and local public health teams have been working to identify people at risk and to instruct them to self-isolate, but adherence has been low.

This new guidance acknowledges the barriers to self-isolation that many experience and provides advice on ways to overcome them.”

Key recommendations include:

• More focus on explaining the big difference those who self-isolate make, keeping themselves and their local community safe.
• Employers should give staff confidence that self-isolation is normal, valued and an acceptable thing to do.
• Encourage people to make self-isolation plans in advance.
• Local services should offer support to those self-isolating, ensuring they have essential supplies and any dependents are looked after.
• Fines should only be used as a last resort and only used in extreme examples of rule breaking.
• It is important that people understand the difference between self-isolation and social isolation/lockdown.

Download the guideline