CDC to Shorten Quarantine Period to 10 Days, 7 with Testing
The recommended quarantine period is set to be shortened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to 10 days after exposure.
For months, Americans followed a quarantine period that was 14 days long.
But now, if someone came in close contact with someone who is coronavirus positive, they only have to meet a quarantine period of 10 days.
A senior CDC official said the new guidelines are set to be released as soon as Tuesday evening.
It will allow people who tested negative for the virus to resume normal activity by Day 7 but they may need 10 days if they haven't been tested.
Shorter Quarantine Period Approved by White House Task Force
The official told The Associated Press that the new policy change had been discussed for some time as scientists started to learn more about the incubation period of the coronavirus.
In a previous report by CNBC, it said the earlier quarantine period helps prevent further spread of the disease before the onset of symptoms or to prevent asymptomatic patients from infecting others.
But CDC Director Robert Redfield argued in late October that this length may have to be changed as more diagnostic testing has become readily available for the public.
At the time, Redfield was already thinking of cutting down the quarantine period of someone with a negative COVID-19 test to seven days.
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The CDC first though the virus' incubation period extended to 14 days, but most individuals became infectious or developed symptoms within four to five days.
Fox News also told in its report that an internal CDC document outlining these changes were discussed with and approved by the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Fox managed to obtain a copy of the said document.
CDC Hopes for More Compliance to Quarantine Period
CDC was hopeful that with the shorter quarantine period, compliance to safety measures will increase "by reducing economic hardship."
Reducing time meant for quarantine may also help "lessen the stress on the public health system" especially with the surge of coronavirus infection that are expected in the coming months, said CDC.
The document read: "based on local resources, quarantine can end on Day 7 after receiving a negative test result" or on "Day 10 without testing."
If someone ends quarantining as recommended, they will still have to be on the lookout for symptoms.
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The agency advised that at the first sign of a possible infection post-quarantine, a person has to immediately self-isolate and contact health care providers.
They also have to continue the existing safety guidelines such as social distancing and mask wearing.
CDC still recommended the 14-day isolation period since that amount of time can further reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, but they recognized that some need to have reduced burden from quarantine.
This change was not the first time the CDC adjusted its guidance of the coronavirus as new research provided more insights.
In July, the agency also shortened the from14 days to 10 after the first experience of symptoms-provided they're no longer sick.
There are more than 13.5 million Americans infected by the coronavirus and about 270,000 people have died.
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