Neighbours urged to call police on self-isolation cheats as £10,000 fine introduced
28 September 2020, 10:46 | Updated: 28 September 2020, 11:37
People who break their self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 face fines of £10,000 under new rules.
Neighbours are being urged by the government to report coronavirus sufferers who break their self-isolation period, as reported by the Telegraph.
Today (Monday 28 September), a new rule comes into force that means anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and does not self-isolate will be subject to a fine of up to £10,000.
The law makes it mandatory for those who test positive to quarantine for 10 days after displaying symptoms or - if they did not have symptoms - after the date of the test. Members of their household will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
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The measure covers anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19, or has been contacted by NHS test and trace and told to stay at home.
According to a report by the Telegraph, police will be doing spot checks in areas where there are high infection rates and in high risk groups.
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The report adds that the government made it clear that it will would respond to tip-offs from third parties who have "identified others who have tested positive, but are not self-isolating".
The government also cites "using police resources to check compliance in highest incidence areas and in high-risk groups, based on local intelligence" and "NHS test and trace call handlers increasing contact with those self-isolating".
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Home Secretary Priti Patel said yesterday that police will be cracking down on those not self-isolating, saying: "These new fines are a clear sign that we will not allow those who break the rules to reverse the hard-won progress made by the law-abiding majority."
Flouters of self-isolation can be fined £1,000, with the potential to double up to £10,000 for repeat offenders.
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