CDC Cuts Isolation Time for People With Asymptomatic Coronavirus Infections Yasmeen Abutaleb - The Washington Post
go to original December 28, 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci Speaks On CDC’s New Quarantine Guidelines (NBC News)

US federal health officials on have shortened the recommended time those infected with the coronavirus should isolate from 10 days to five if they are asymptomatic — a decision they said was driven by a growing body of research about when people are most infectious.

The updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention comes as the nation is contending with a new coronavirus wave driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant, which has sent infections soaring to levels not seen since last winter and led to cancellations of thousands of holiday flights.

Airline and other industry officials have been calling on the agency to shorten recommended quarantine and isolation times. They said the slew of flight cancellations were largely driven by employees who tested positive for the virus and were isolating for 10 days. Airline officials, as well as those from other industries, have expressed concern that omicron’s transmissibility would make it impossible to keep businesses running if they followed earlier guidelines.

As part of its update, the CDC also cut the recommended quarantine time to five days for those exposed to the coronavirus who are not yet boosted. It recommended such people wear masks around others for an additional five days.

The agency said those exposed to the infection who have received booster shots do not need to quarantine, but should wear a mask for 10 days.

“These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “The omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses.”

The agency said the decision was driven by research that has shown that most transmission occurs early in the course of a person’s illness, typically in the one to two days before the onset of symptoms and, then, for two to three days afterward. Health officials also recommended that those exposed get tested five days after their exposure.

Business groups applauded the update, but some health experts were incensed that the agency would reduce the isolation period without first requiring people to get a negative coronavirus test result.

Read the rest at The Washington Post

Related: Healthy, Boosted People Unlikely to Develop Severe Omicron Infections, but Jury’s Out on Older, At-Risk Populations (The Washington Post)

Related: Forecasting the Omicron Winter: Experts Envision Various Scenarios, From Bad to Worse (STAT)