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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its COVID-19 guidance on Thursday, reflecting a shift of tone from institutional mandates to personal choice.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has simplified the myriad federal COVID-19 guidance from previous guidelines.
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Among the biggest differences in the new recommendations is that the guidelines will no longer differentiate people who are up-to-date on their vaccinations and those who are unvaccinated.
The agency no longer recommends 6 feet social distancing nor quarantining after being exposed to the virus but not experiencing symptoms.
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The agency will also remove several specific COVID-19 recommendations for schools, like “test to stay” guidance that required students exposed to the virus to continue to test negative to remain in school.
Information signs are displayed at a retail store in Buffalo Grove, Ill.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
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But the guidelines do keep some measures in place, including encouraging testing for people with symptoms and their close contacts.
The CDC continues to recommend that those who test positive should stay home for at least five days and wear a mask for 10 days. The CDC did not call for a negative test before exiting isolation.
A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a patient.
(Getty Images)
Contact tracing should be limited to hospitals and certain high-risk group-living situations, such as nursing homes, the CDC said. The new rules remove regular testing except in certain high-risk settings, such as nursing homes and prisons.
The new guidance also tailors advice on isolation for people who became very sick from COVID-19.
People with moderate symptoms, such as shortness of breath, and those who were hospitalized, should stay at home for at least 10 days.
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People with compromised immune systems should now talk to their doctor about ending their isolation after contacting COVID-19.
For the many whose COVID-19 symptoms rebound, the CDC recommends beginning the isolation period over again and visiting the doctor.
