The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently eased its COVID-19 guidance, streamlining its recommendations as the virus now poses significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to earlier in the pandemic.
"We're in a stronger place today as a nation, with more tools--like vaccination, boosters, and treatments---to protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19," said Greta Massetti, author of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, in a statement on Thursday. "This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives."
The CDC still promotes the importance of being up-to-date with vaccination, as vaccines help reduce transmission of the virus throughout communities and prevent severe disease in most cases.
Notably, under the new guidance, individuals who are not fully vaccinated--meaning having received the initial series of vaccines from Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX) or Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) followed by at least one booster dose--and who are exposed to the virus do not need to quarantine. Instead, they are advised to wear a mask for 10 days and test on day 5.
For healthy individuals the do test positive on day 5, regardless of vaccination status, the CDC advises to stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others, as you likely most infectious during these first 5 days.
Beyond that period, if ever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and symptoms are improving/asymptomatic, they may end quarantine at day 6. However, they should continue to wear a mask at least through day 10 and avoid in-person contact with people more likely to develop severe COVID symptoms until at least day 11.
For people with weakened immune systems, those who have been hospitalized with COVID, or have shortness of breath due to infection, the CDC advises they isolate through day 10 and consult with their doctor before ending quarantine.
Moreover, if symptoms return or worsen, individuals are advised to restart their isolation period and follow guidances through day 10 again.
Elsewhere, the CDC is no longer recommending "test-to-stay" policies for schools, which was a guideline for unvaccinated children exposed to the virus to continue to test negative instead of having to quarantine. Now, the CDC only recommends widespread testing in certain high risk settings like long-term care facilities, prisons and homeless shelters.
The guidelines come as the nation enters a possible new phase of the pandemic, where the virus is still spreading at high rates, but the risks associated with its spread have been significantly reduced due to innovations in treatments and the use of highly effective vaccines.