Is the COVID quarantine about to end?
Amid reports that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be considering a change to its COVID isolation guidelinesdoctors share their own recommendations.
The CDC's current guidance, which was implemented in late 2021, requires that people who test positive for the virus “stay home for at least five days and isolate themselves from other people in their household,” its website states.
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This was a reduction from the 10-day isolation recommended at the beginning of the pandemic.
Although some reports have claimed that the CDC is currently working on revising isolation guidelines ahead of an announcement in April, the agency has not confirmed that any updates are forthcoming.
Current CDC guidance, which was implemented in late 2021, calls for people who test positive for the virus to “stay home for at least five days and isolate themselves from other people in their household.” (iStock)
When contacted by Fox News, the CDC issued the following statement.
“There are no updates to COVID guidelines to announce at this time. We will continue to make decisions based on the best evidence and science to keep communities healthy and safe.”
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Some states have already relaxed their own guidelines.
In both Oregon and California, people with COVID do not have to isolate at all, as long as they have been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever reducing medications and their other COVID symptoms are improving, according to each state's health department.
Both states require COVID-positive people to continue wearing a mask for 10 days, even after leaving isolation.
Some reports suggest the CDC may be considering an update to its COVID isolation guidelines, although the agency said no changes have been announced. (REUTERS/Tami Chappell/File Photo)
“We now find ourselves in a different time with reduced impacts of COVID-19 compared to previous years, due to broad immunity from vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments for infected people,” the Department said. of California Public Health. in a Jan. 9 statement on its website.
“We now find ourselves in a different time with reduced impacts of COVID-19 compared to previous years.”
“Most of our policies and intervention priorities now focus on protecting those most at risk of severe disease, while reducing social disruption that is disproportionate to recommendations for the prevention of other endemic diseases. respiratory viral infections“.
Doctors express thoughts.
Timothy Brewer, MD, professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA, said Feb. 14 that he has seen news reports suggesting the CDC may change its COVID isolation recommendations, “but as far as I know and checking the website from the CDC today, its recommendations still have not changed.”
As of the most recently reported week ending February 3, 2024, the proportion of COVID tests administered with positive results was 10%, a decrease of 0.6% from the previous week. (iStock)
“Most respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), can be transmitted while people with these infections are sick,” Brewer said. to Fox News Digital.
“Being able to isolate yourself when you are sick with a respiratory viral infection “We should reduce the community spread of these viruses, which remains high or moderately high in much of the country,” he continued.
“Eliminating the current guidelines is the right step to help restore the workforce.”
Advising people to stay home and isolate while they are sick “makes excellent public health sense,” according to Brewer.
“I don't think the exact number of days matters as much as waiting until the person feels better, meaning fever-free for at least 24 hours without taking antipyretic medications and all other symptoms improve,” he said.
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Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and Fox News medical contributor, said he believes the CDC's isolation recommendations should be changed, “but not in the same way that Oregon and California have done.”
“I think they will be changed and they should have been changed a while ago,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
The current five-day isolation guidance is a reduction from the original 10-day recommendation implemented at the beginning of the pandemic. (iStock)
“I recently interviewed Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC, and she told me that they are shifting their focus toward putting doctors and their patients in charge overall, recognizing individual differences,” he added.
Siegel recommends eliminating the five-day isolation period.
“The pandemic ended several months ago and although there was an uptick this winter, with more than 20,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths per week at one point, it is now declining,” he said.
“The pandemic has been over for several months and, although there was a spike this winter, it is now declining.”
For those who are sick, especially if feel fatiguedcough and sneeze, or have a fever: Siegel's recommendation is to stay home.
“If you feel well and the above symptoms have disappeared for two days or more, you can return to work with a mask,” the doctor said.
In addition to isolating yourself for five days, the CDC recommends wearing a high-quality mask when around other people at home. (iStock)
Paxlovid should shorten the amount of time a patient needs to stay at home, Siegel added.
“I wouldn't adopt exactly the same recommendations as the flu, which is a day after the fever subsides, because COVID spreads more easily than the flu, and we still want to keep you out of the workplace if you're contagious,” he said.
“I would say two days for COVID after the main symptoms resolve instead of one day,” Siegel said.
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The doctor also urged the CDC to emphasize that the primary guidance should come from the doctor/patient interaction.
“There are individual differences between patients, and those who are immunocompromised or have multiple illnesses or are elderly should stay out longer,” he told Fox News Digital. “A doctor should help you decide.”
“Eliminating the current guidelines is the right step to help restore the workforce.”
COVID numbers continue downward trend
As of the most recently reported week ending February 3, 2024, the proportion of COVID tests administered with positive results was 10%, a decrease of 0.6% from the previous week.
Of all emergency department visits, 1.8% were diagnosed with COVID, a decrease of 10.8% week over week.
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COVID-related hospitalizations decreased 10% from the previous week.
The proportion of all deaths in the United States due to COVID was 3.1%, reflecting a decrease of 6.1%.
COVID vaccines have been shown to be 54% effective in preventing COVID symptoms in adults, according to CDC data, but most people choose to skip the vaccine. (Julian Stratenschulte/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
People now have more resources to protect themselves against the virus and its potentially adverse effects, including the availability of antiviral medications, such as Paxlovid, as well as Vaccines for COVID-19.
The vaccines have been shown to be 54% effective in preventing COVID symptoms in adults, according to CDC data from Feb. 1.
However, most people choose to skip the vaccine.
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The proportion of American adults who have received the updated COVID vaccine is 21.9%, while only 12.2% of children are up to date.
The vaccination rate is higher for older adults, at 42% among adults 65 years of age and older.
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