CDC shortens recommended quarantine duration, with restrictions
Infected people now only need to self-isolate for a minimum of five days.
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On Monday, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the amount of time that Americans with COVID-19 need to spend in isolation, reducing guidance from 10 days to five, provided they aren't experiencing symptoms and stay masked around other people for an additional five days. The quarantine guidance for anyone exposed to the virus received the same revision.
The new guidelines come as the omicron variant continues to spread throughout the US, accounting for 73% of cases in the country.
Booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna have been shown to be effective in protecting against the variant, with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky saying that the organization was considering revising the definition of "fully vaccinated" to include booster shots.
The important distinction in the new guidance is that infected people are free of symptoms and remain masked around other people.