In December 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines for how long people should isolate following a COVID-19 infection. The agency shortened the isolation from 10 days to five, followed by five days of wearing a mask for those no longer symptomatic.

The change came during the height of the omicron variant’s surge and related staffing shortages at hospitals, schools and businesses. Some critics suspected that the move was more practically motivated than science-based to allow workers, especially health care and other essential personnel, to return to their jobs quicker.

As a result, I thought it useful to review the data behind the latest recommendations to help people think through best practices.

I’m an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Virginia. I take care of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and conduct research on how the immune system responds to infection.

The CDC’s current strategy

First, let’s make a distinction between the terms “isolation” and “quarantine.” During the pandemic, people have often used them interchangeably. But isolation is meant to separate infected people from those who aren’t, whereas quarantine separates those who were exposed to COVID-19 but have not yet tested positive or are not symptomatic.

That said: If you are infected with COVID-19, the CDC’s latest guidelines have cut your isolation period by half, to five days from the onset of symptoms, or the first positive test if you do not have symptoms. After five days, as long as you are getting better, the CDC says you no longer need to isolate but should mask around others for five more days.

Full story on The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/clarifying-the-cdcs-covid-19-quarantine-and-isolation-guidelines-an-infectious-disease-doc-looks-at-the-latest-research-177426

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