‘I was stuck inside playing FIFA instead of watching the England game’: Mid Sussex man’s frustration at confusion over isolation rules

Dom Smith, 25, from Horsted Keynes said he caught covid in August along with his girlfriend. He isolated at the time and after recovering booked a holiday to Cyprus for last month.

But after reading that he could test positive up to three months after getting better he says he checked with officials about what would happen if he did get a positive result when he took his PCR test after coming home.

The account executive said Home Office and NHS staff gave conflicting advice and – when his test did come back positive – he did have to isolate despite not having covid.

Dom said: “It’s frustrating. I have just spent ten days inside just for no reason.

“I was lucky enough to be able to work from home.”

Dom’s girlfriend, who had covid at the same time as him, tested negative on their return meaning she didn’t have to isolate.

But it wasn’t just working in the office and seeing his friends that Dom missed out on.

He said: “I had tickets to go to the England game.

“I was stuck inside playing FIFA instead of watching the England game.”

The Home Office declined to comment.

The Department for Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.