CDC shortens recommended quarantine period for coronavirus
With a negative test and no symptoms, people can cut quarantine down to seven days.
- She has a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
The CDC has new recommendations for quarantining.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shortened the length of time people have to quarantine after exposure to the coronavirus, the agency said Wednesday.
Where the recommended quarantine period has been 14 days, the CDC now says it's OK to curtail quarantine at seven days, provided a person tests negative and has no symptoms. Without a test, 10 days is acceptable, though people should monitor themselves for symptoms for the next four days.
"We are sharing these options with public health agencies across the country so that they can determine how long quarantine periods should last in their jurisdiction based on local conditions and needs," Henry Walke, the incident manager for the CDC's COVID-19 response, said at a press briefing. However, Walke noted the CDC continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine as "the best way to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19."
The rules change, he said, comes for two key reasons. A shorter time in quarantine could alleviate some of the "economic hardship" associated with essentially being benched for two weeks. In addition, Walke said, it could ease stress on the public health system.
The CDC also recommends people get tested one to three days before traveling anywhere and then get tested again three to five days after returning.
Coronavirus updates
The new recommendations come as cases in the US are hitting new highs. More than 269,000 people have died so far. The CDC also underlined in November that a person can be be in the early stages of infection and still test negative for COVID-19.
The CDC didn't respond to a request for comment.
