The self-isolation period has already been reduced from 10 to seven days in England while in the US it has been cut from 10 days to five for people who are asymptomatic.
Sir John Bell, an immunologist who has advised the Government on Covid, said Britain could replicate the US stance on self-isolation by relying on lateral flow tests.
Lewisham council announced its main reuse and recycling centre will be shut until Wednesday and black bin collections would be prioritised in the event of delays to recycling collections.
Staff crises caused by workers having to self-isolate with Covid today saw problems mount further as hospital bosses scrambled to fill gaps and parts of the travel sector ground to a halt.