An expert in infectious diseases from the UEA has said self-isolation has run its course as an effective way of stopping the spread of Covid.

Medical professor Paul Hunter was speaking as the government prepared to announce the end of compulsory isolation for positive coronavirus cases.

He said that recent modelling had shown three-quarters of cases are now going undetected, meaning for every person currently isolating there are three Covid positive people in the community.

And this, coupled with the levels of immunity most people now have, has tipped the cost-benefit balance of the self-isolating policy.

He said: "I think personally I still would have put off lifting all restrictions until the end of March, as viruses like these do tend to spread much slower in the spring and summer months.

"However, self-isolating has caused real problems with staff shortages in places like hospitals and schools lately so the harm it does is now outweighing the benefits of doing it.

"When you look at the individual, you are probably most infectious from about two days before your symptoms appear, so without routine testing by the time you test positive you will likely have already passed it on.

"It was never going to be a perfect measure as it is. Earlier on in the pandemic, it did have real value, but it was never the thing that would make the biggest difference."

And with isolation no longer set to be mandatory, Prof Hunter also questioned the need for widespread testing - although he is keen for a survey of regular testing by the Office of National Statistics to continue.

He said: "If there is no requirement to physically do anything in the event of a positive test, there probably isn't any real need to do tests.

"The disease is also a lot less severe now and that is down to the higher levels of immunity we all have, whether that is true vaccination or through infection - it is now a lot less deadly than flu and we don't do testing for that.

"I do think it is still a good idea to wear surgical masks in crowded spaces though, particularly if you are vulnerable."