According to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, the time spent in self-isolation for people who test positive for Covid-19 in England would be decreased to five full days.
Patients will be able to leave isolation on Monday following negative lateral flow tests on days five and six.
Ministers lauded the decision as a way to alleviate staffing shortages in a number of areas, including the NHS.
After negative tests on days six and seven, the self-isolation period was shortened from ten to seven days in December.
Mr Javid said that the country was “freest in Europe” and that it was “leading the world in how to live with Covid”
He stated that the purpose of the self-isolation time was to maximise economic activity while “minimising the risk of persons exiting isolation.”
Two-thirds of positive cases were no longer contagious by day five, according to data from the UK Health Security Agency.
If a second negative test is achieved, people will be entitled to leave isolation “at the start of day six.”
The virus was “still with us” and “there are going to be challenging weeks ahead,” the health minister warned in the House of Commons, but statistics showed that cases were dropping in London and the east of England – but increasing in other parts of the country.
According to figures from the UK Health Security Agency, two-thirds of positive cases were no longer contagious by day five.
They will be allowed to leave isolation “at the start of day six” if a second negative test is obtained.
Although numbers showed that cases were declining in London and the east of England – but increasing in other parts of the country – the health minister warned in the House of Commons that the virus was “still with us” and that “there are going to be challenging weeks ahead.”
