Dr Hilary Jones apologises for giving incorrect guidance on self-isolating

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Susanna Reid and Adil Ray were quick to correct Dr Hilary Jones after he suggested people don’t have to self-isolate if they’ve been into close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus but have received both vaccines.

As it stands, you do have to isolate for 10 days if you come into contact with someone infected with the virus, however it’s been reported that that this quarantine measure may be scrapped for those who are double jabbed.

The Good Morning Britain doctor sparked confusion when he incorrectly stated: ‘Within a week after the second dose of the Pfizer, one week after the Janssen and 14 days after Moderna, and AstraZeneca, you don’t need to self-isolate if you’ve been in close contact to someone who has tested positive.’

‘I don’t think that is the case because currently we are being told to isolate,’ Susanna interjected.

‘If you’ve been double jabbed with those vaccines, you don’t need to self-isolate,’ Dr Hilary insisted.

‘Is that a suggestion from PHE [Public Health England] at the moment?’ a perplexed Adil asked. ‘They’re talking about, that’s a suggestion from PHE but I don’t think that is current official guidance.’

Dr Hilary amended his statement some minutes later, clarifying that people still need to isolate if they’ve come into contact with a Covid-19 case.

‘I stand corrected on what I said earlier, at the moment, if you’ve been double jabbed, you still have to self-isolate if you’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive,’ he said.

He added that he believes the rules will change.

‘It’s very likely that the data shows your risk of picking up Covid is minimal,’ Dr Hilary continued.

‘So you probably won’t have to self-isolate but you do at the moment.’

Dr Hilary had been discussing the latest football chaos as England stars Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell are isolating after interaction with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour on Friday.

It could mean the players may not be able to play tonight’s Euro 2020 match against Czech Republic.

Viewers were gobsmacked by the false information and branded the mistake ‘unbelievable’ and absolutely appalling’.

‘Oh my,’ one wrote. ‘The doctor doesn’t understand the rules. Lots of dangerous misinformation being spread and compounded by the ‘expert’ not having a clue about self isolation rules.’

‘Dr Hilary literally doesn’t know what he’s talking about,’ another added.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.

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