CDC drops COVID-19 quarantine recommendation

Recent guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer recommend that individuals exposed to COVID-19 quarantine until testing negative, as has been the case for the past two years.

According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, individuals who have recent confirmed or suspected exposure to someone infected with the virus should now wear a mask for 10 days when indoors in public. They should also get tested at least five days after the exposure regardless of their vaccination status. If they are symptomatic, testing should be sought out sooner.

According to an accompanying press release, the CDC recommends the following for individuals who do test positive for COVID-19:

• Stay home and isolate from others in your home for at least five days
• Wear a high-quality mask at home and in public when around others
• Isolation may end after five days if fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication and symptoms are improving or were never experienced
• Avoid being around individuals who are more likely to get very sick from the virus for at least 11 days, regardless of when isolation ends