NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials announced Friday that Americans who test positive for the coronavirus will not need to quarantine for five days.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Changed long-standing guidelinesHe said his symptoms were mild and improving, and he was able to return to work and normal activities after one day of developing a fever.
Change occurs when: COVID-19 is no longer a public health threat It used to be that way. It was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. early in the pandemic, but last year it fell to number 10.
Most people have some degree of immunity to the coronavirus through vaccination or infection. And some experts say many people aren’t following the five-day quarantine guidance anyway.
“Our goal here is to continue to protect people at risk of serious illness while ensuring that these recommendations are simple, clear, easy to understand and follow. It’s about reassuring people,” said CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen.
But some experts are concerned that the change could increase the risk of infection for older people and people who are more likely to become seriously ill.
Why are the guidelines changing?
Hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 are not as high as they were in the first few years of the pandemic. This change is an effort to streamline recommendations similar to long-standing recommendations for influenza and other respiratory viruses. Officials say many people with symptoms such as a runny nose or cough have not been tested to distinguish between COVID-19, the flu, or something else.
While they may not be as strict, the guidelines emphasize that anyone with respiratory symptoms should stay home while sick, said Dr. David Margolius, director of the Cleveland Health Department. That’s what it means.
Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health, said that doesn’t change the fact that people who test positive are still likely to be contagious.
“What has changed is how much harm this coronavirus is causing to our people,” Nuzzo said.
Officials noted that some other countries, as well as states like California and Oregon, have eased quarantine guidance in a manner similar to the CDC’s latest changes and have not seen an increase in cases.
What are the new guidelines?
If you have symptoms, stay at home until your symptoms become milder and better and one day has passed since the onset of your fever. But you can remain vigilant by wearing a mask and distancing yourself from others.
However, the CDC’s guidance for workers in nursing homes and other health care facilities remains unchanged. This includes encouraging healthcare workers to stay home for at least seven days after developing symptoms and to receive a negative test within two days of returning to work.
The agency emphasizes that everyone should try to prevent infection in the first place by getting vaccinated, washing their hands and taking steps to get more fresh air outdoors.
Does anyone object to this change?
Yes, and even those who understand the rationale for the change have concerns.
“What worries me most about all of this is that employers will use this change in guidance to require employees to return to work… Their co-workers before they are ready, before they feel well enough, and before they are unlikely to harm their employees,” Nuzzo said.
COVID-19 remains particularly dangerous for older adults and people with other medical conditions.There are many more 20,000 people hospitalized and more 2,000 deaths weekly due to the coronavirus, according to the CDC. Hospitalization and death rates are highest for people over 65.
This week, the CDC said: Older people need another dose About the latest coronavirus infection (COVID-19) vaccines.
Will schools change their rules?
necessarily. Schools and child care providers vary in their ability to follow CDC recommendations, often relying on local governments to make final decisions.and sometimes other goals, e.g. Reducing absenceswhich could influence state or district decisions.
When California relaxed its guidance, it encouraged children to come to school if they had mild symptoms. He also said that students who test positive for the coronavirus but do not have symptoms can attend school.
Is this the first time that quarantine guidelines have changed?
No. The CDC initially recommended a 10-day quarantine, but at the end of 2021 it reduced the quarantine period to 5 days for Americans who are infected with the coronavirus and have no symptoms or only short-term symptoms. . The guidance for the public states that isolation can only end if a person has been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms have resolved.
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AP Education Writer Bianca Vazquez Tornes in Boston contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Education Media Group. AP is solely responsible for all content.
