CDC cuts isolation, quarantine for 5 days for shortage of workers all to fight

The CDC now recommends that people who test positive for COVID-19 quarantine for 5 days instead of 10, in hopes of limiting the number of recent staff comments as the Omicron coronavirus variant sweeps through. almost every industry.

“We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society going while following the science,” said CDC Director. Dr. Rochelle Walensky told the Associated Press Monday.

The new recommendations — which are not laws and are intended to guide businesses and state and local health officials — offer separate guidance for unvaccinated, fully vaccinated, and booster populations. Notably, guidelines for people receiving only two doses of mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine are now stricter than previous recommendations.

Regardless of vaccination status, people who have been infected with the virus can re-enter society after five days as long as they are symptom-free and they wear a mask in all settings for another five days, even at home with other people. If a person still develops symptoms after the first five days, they should continue to isolate until the symptoms subside.

People who are exposed to the virus and have received a booster shot can skip self-isolation as long as they always wear a mask for at least 10 days. Otherwise, unvaccinated people and those who received only two doses should isolate for at least five days and wear a mask for five days afterward, the CDC said.

New guide coming after New York and other industries shortened the quarantine period for some of their workforce to keep them afloat. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced last week The state will cut the quarantine period to five days for essential workers, including health care workers, grocery store employees and restaurant workers.

“We need you again,” she said in comments on Friday. “We need you to be able to go to work.”