The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends five days of isolation for people who have Covid, but it is considering changing its guidance policy. According to a report in The Washington Post, the CDC believes vaccinations and prior exposure to the disease have increased immunity levels of the population to the point where the burden of isolation is no longer necessary.
The proposed adjustment comes in the wake of increased population immunity through vaccinations and prior infections, coupled with the significant impact Covid-19 has had on the United States, including nearly 1.2 million deaths and widespread economic disruptions. The new guidelines would allow individuals who test positive for Covid-19 to end their isolation based on clinical symptoms, specifically if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication and if their symptoms are mild and improving.
The proposed policy change doesn't mean Covid is less contagious than before. National Public Radio interviewed Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health, who said "The science of COVID has not changed."
