People who test positive for Covid no longer need to isolate for five daysThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.
The CDC’s new guidance now follows public health advice for flu and other respiratory illnesses: Stay home when you are sick, but return to school or work when you feel well and have been fever-free for 24 hours.
The change acknowledges continued declines in the worst cases of Covid since the start of the pandemic, as well as the fact that many people are not getting tested for Covid anyway.
CDC Director Dr. “People often don’t know what virus they have when they first get sick, so this will help them know what to do,” Mandy Cohen said during a media briefing on Friday.
Cohen said weekly hospital admissions for Covid have fallen by more than 75% and deaths by more than 90% over the past few years.
“To put it another way, in 2021, Covid was the third leading cause of death in the United States. Last year, it was the 10th,” said Dr. Brendan Jackson said during the briefing.
Many doctors were calling The CDC has lifted its isolation guidelines for months, saying it has done little to stop the spread of Covid.
experiences California and OregonEarlier lifting of Covid isolation rules proved this to be true.
“Recent data show that isolation guidelines are more similar to CDC’s updated recommendations, with California and Oregon not seeing more Covid-19 emergency department visits or hospitalizations,” Jackson said.
Changing the Covid isolation to reflect what is recommended for influenza and other respiratory illnesses, said Cleveland Public Health Director Dr. It makes sense to David Margolius.
“We’ve gotten to the point where we’re having flu at a higher rate than Covid,” he said. “What this guidance will do is stay home when you’re sick, stay home when you’re sick, no matter what contagious respiratory virus infection you have, it’ll help you strengthen your ability to come back when you’re better.”
Dr. Christine Englund, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said the new guidelines will help prevent the spread of all respiratory viruses.
“I think this will help us in the coming years to make sure that our number of flu and RSV cases can be reduced, not just Covid,” he said.
Still, the decision is likely to draw criticism from some clinicians, who point to 17,310 new Covid hospitalizations in the US in the past week alone.
Seattle public health director Dr. “It’s something that can attract a lot of opinions and maybe conflicting opinions,” Faisal Khan said. “But [the CDC’s] The bottom line is that the pandemic is at a very different stage now than it was in 2021, 2022 or 2023.
Even though isolation rules have been lifted, the CDC still encourages people to play it safe for five days after feeling better. This includes masking around vulnerable people and opening windows to improve the flow of fresh air inside.
Most virus outbreaks occur when people are sickest. “As the days go by, less and less virus is spreading,” Cohen said.
People at high risk of severe Covid complications, such as the elderly, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women, should take extra precautions.
Chief epidemiologist at Atrium Health in Charlotte, Dr. Katie Passaretti said it was “a move in a positive direction.”
“We continue to get familiar with what the world looks like after Covid, Covid is one of the many respiratory viruses that are sure to be circulating,” he said.
The new guidance is only for the general public and does not include isolation guidelines in hospital settings, which are generally 10 days.
The agency reported on this on Wednesday Adults 65 and older should receive a booster shot Covid vaccine this spring. The nation is expected to experience an uptick in the disease later this spring.
Winter and summer waves of Covid have occurred over the past four years, with cases peaking in January and August respectively. XNM.
Another reshaped shot is expected to be available and recommended this fall.
CDC’s top tips for reducing the spread of Covid:
- Get the Covid vaccine when it’s available. Cohen said 95% of people hospitalized with Covid last winter had not received the latest vaccine.
- Wash your hands often when you cough or sneeze.
- Increase ventilation by opening windows, using air purifiers, and gathering outside whenever possible.