Residents affected by Covid could benefit from seeing their self-isolation period cut from 10 to seven days – but only if they have negative tests and no fever.

The change in national policy from today means that some people currently isolating for 10 days may be allowed to leave their homes or go back to work before Christmas.

Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council's Director for Health and Care, said: "While these changes will be welcome news for many families and, importantly organisations which rely on staff to provide critical services such as health and care, we still have a difficult few weeks ahead.

"With cases still rising in Staffordshire, we all need to be extra vigilant and do what we can to reduce the risks to ourselves and others.

"This means working from home, trying to limit contact with others, wearing a face covering, taking a lateral flow test before meeting others and crucially getting the booster as soon as you can.

"Vaccine clinics are running right up to Christmas and from Monday next week, so please don't put off having the vaccine."

From today, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency said people who test positive should take a lateral flow test 24 hours apart on Day Six and Day Seven (not including the onset day which is counted as Day 0). If these are both negative they can stop isolating.

The seven-day rate for Covid cases in Staffordshire is currently 603 per 100,000 of population.