CDC Updates COVID-19 Mitigation Guidance
On Thursday, August 11, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its guidance for the mitigation of COVID-19. This guidance lifts the requirement to quarantine if exposed to the virus, deemphasizes screening people with no symptoms and updates COVID-19 protocols in schools, eliminating a recommendation for test-to-stay after potential exposure.
Additional highlights include:
- The CDC recommends that those exposed to COVID-19 wear a mask for 10 days rather than quarantining, as previously recommended for the unvaccinated, with those exposed wearing a high-quality mask for five days and then testing on the fifth day.
- The agency reemphasized that people who test positive for COVID-19 need only isolate for five days, monitoring their symptoms daily before deciding to exit isolation. It noted that those who test positive for COVID-19 are most infectious during the first five days after testing positive, recommending isolation during that time even if asymptomatic. After day five, those who are feeling better and are fever-free may end isolation, the agency said.
- The CDC recommended those who test positive wear a high-quality mask through day 10, regardless of their symptoms. People who experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing while they have COVID-19 should isolate for the full 10 days, as should individuals with weakened immune systems.