A University of Kent professor has said any changes to isolation rules is a 'gamble' but could be necessary to keep the country going.

Martin Michaelis, Professor of Molecular Medicine, has said that 'nobody can predict the impact' reducing self-isolation to five days will have.

Martin Michaelis, Professor of Molecular Medicine

His comments come as calls grow on the government to cut the seven day isolation guidelines after the US slashed its self-isolation period to five days if people are not showing symptoms.

He said: "When it comes to the isolation period it's a balance, we have so many cases, and isolating for seven days affects the infrastructure, it affects the people that are there to do the basic things we need, the NHS is an obvious one.

"And at some point this will also affect other supplies like food in the supermarkets and so on.

"So the reduction of the isolation period is just a measure to balance that, to keep a basic infrastructure functional.

"However, from a biological point of view, when we lessen restrictions, or lower our guards, the more Covid-19 spreads. We don't want to isolate of course, but we also don't want to spread the virus and we don't want people to die.

"So as always, if we reduce the isolation period, more people will be infected, and more people will die."

The most infectious days of a person who tests positive with the virus are two days before symptoms start and the three days after the onset of the symptoms.

This means on day five, you're less likely to infect someone.

Professor Michaelis continued: "Nobody can really predict what impact the isolation changes will have.

"But I can see the meaning behind these measures as they are needed to keep the country going, to keep the infrastructure alive, to make sure that if somebody is ill, there's somebody to treat them, so that there is food and petrol."

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said that any decision to cut the Covid self-isolation period to five days “would have to be based on very clear evidence”.

However, Professor Michaelis explained that Omicron seems to be a little bit milder, but it is better at infecting people who have who have been vaccinated or who already had the disease who have some protection.

He said: "I think it would be better to have lower numbers in the first place, then we wouldn't have to change these restrictions and rules all the time and we would all be safer.

"Not enforcing restrictions is a gamble. Like always it's a gamble.

"I'm always surprised by how many people are prepared to take such big risks.

"As the scientist, I'm concerned because I can't predict what is going to happen.

"And usually, if there's something unpredictable, we are extra cautious, but we are not with the pandemic."

In a Twitter poll, 52.5% of KentOnline readers voted that t was too dangerous for the government to cut the Covid isolation period to five days.

When asked on our Facebook page one person said: "I don’t think we should cut the isolation time.

"I had all the symptoms for five days before testing positive and then didn’t test negative until 10 days later."

However, others disagreed, with one reader saying: "We should cut the isolation time, or just carry on with our lives because it is now normal, just like the cold and flu viruses."

Another said: "I'm fed up with all this Covid stuff now, it’s on TV and internet so much.

"I think us public know what we need to do, but they keep changing the rules so nobody has a clue, at the end of the day make one rule and stick to it."