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People who test positive for Covid should still isolate for five days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even though many Americans are already ignoring the policy. That guidance is likely to change at some point, however.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Following reports that the CDC was considering easing Covid isolation restrictions \u2014 including guidelines that people can leave their homes after being fever-free for 24 hours \u2014 the agency refused to confirm that such plans were in the works. The potential change was first reported by The Washington Post.<\/p>\n
But an official at the Department of Health and Human Services who asked not to be identified said federal health officials are considering relaxing Covid isolation guidelines, although the discussions are at an early stage and no definitive decisions have been made.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s way too preliminary,\u201d the source said. There\u2019s \u201clots more consultation to be had.\u201d<\/p>\n
The CDC is looking at changes to its overall Covid guidance, which could include recommendations about masking as well as isolation, said a public health official who was involved with a recent call with the CDC. The CDC currently recommends masking for 10 days following a Covid diagnosis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no evidence that the virus that causes Covid has evolved to become less dangerous or contagious. What has changed is Americans\u2019 attitudes about Covid restrictions. People are no longer willing or able to spend a week out of work or school because of Covid, experts say.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, said he and his colleagues have privately encouraged the CDC to drop the five-day isolation period, in part because there\u2019s little evidence it\u2019s stopping the spread of Covid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The \u201crigorous recommendations that are currently in place do not reflect common practice,\u201d Schaffner said. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to demonstrate that strict isolation has had a notable impact on transmission.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
California and Oregon have already broken with the CDC, suggesting that people don’t need to stay home if they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without medication.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith each day, the risk of communicability diminishes,\u201d Schaffner said. \u201cPublic health recommendations have to be practical.\u201d That is, people may stay home for a few days if they have a fever and feel achy and fatigued. After that, it\u2019s back to business as usual.<\/p>\n
Dr. David Margolius, the public health director for the city of Cleveland, said he was also in favor of easing isolation restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a couple years, people really associated public health with the elimination of Covid,\u201d Margolius said. But \u201cpublic health is about increasing life expectancy for our residents. It\u2019s about improving quality of life. And that is more than just controlling one virus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Covid is still contagious, said Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease physician at Stanford Medicine. \u201cWhat the CDC and health departments are trying to say is that we need to have policies that people are going to actually follow,\u201d Karan said.<\/p>\n
As of this month, emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths from Covid are down, according to the latest CDC data.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the CDC said it had \u201cno updates to Covid guidelines to announce at this time,\u201d adding that it would \u201ccontinue to make decisions based on the best evidence and science to keep communities healthy and safe.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n