New rules introduced this week could mean that staff will have to declare their vaccination status to their employers.

From Tuesday, anyone who has been in close contact with someone with COVID can only avoid a mandatory 10-day self-isolation if they’ve been double-jabbed.

Those who’ve had two doses of the COVID vaccine will be allowed to continue to go to work and socialise, but they must take a lateral flow test every day for a week.

However, unvaccinated workers who come into contact with COVID will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days.

The new rule will mean that unvaccinated workers who come into contact with COVID might have to inform their bosses of their vaccine status, unless they’re already working from home.

The new testing and isolation rules apply regardless of whether people have been in contact with the Omicron or Delta variant.

Those who are fully vaccinated and test negative are still advised by the Department of Health to limit close contact with people outside their household, but it’s not a legal requirement.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday that the UK had moved into alert Level 4, the second highest, due to a rapid increase in the number of Omicron cases. At the same time, he announced that the UK was ramping up its booster programme, offering a third vaccine to all adults from today.

However, no further travel restrictions have been announced.