UK's Johnson avoids quarantine after colleague catches COVID

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been identified by the country’s test-and-trace system as a contact of a confirmed coronavirus case

LONDON -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been identified by the country’s test-and-trace system as a contact of a confirmed coronavirus case — but unlike thousands of his compatriots, he won’t have to stay home for 10 days. Johnson’s 10 Downing St. office said Sunday that the prime minister was alerted overnight by the test-and-trace phone app. He had a meeting on Friday with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. Javid, who has been fully vaccinated, says he is experiencing mild symptoms. People who are notified through the app are supposed to self-isolate, though it is not a legal requirement. Contacts of positive cases usually are advised to self-isolate for 10 days. But Johnson’s office says the prime minister will instead take a daily coronavirus test as part of an alternative system being piloted in some workplaces, including the government.