The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week eased many of its COVID-19 guidelines, which sharply did away with many of the precautions, including quarantine and social distancing, that have long defined the pandemic.
The move was prompted by the fact that many Americans now have some immunity to the coronavirus – through a combination of vaccination and previous infection – and by the availability of vaccines, booster shots and antiviral drugs that reduce the risk of serious illness. can reduce.
Officials said part of the public health agency’s goal in issuing the new guidance was to streamline the recommendations and help people manage their risk. But the guidelines are still complex and contain a lot of nuances.
Here are answers to some common questions about what the guidelines mean for you.
Do I still have to stand six feet away from strangers?
The CDC hasn’t dropped the idea of social distancing entirely — instead, the agency suggests keeping a distance from others as one of several strategies people can use to help reduce their risk.
Older guidelines recommended that people who were not up-to-date on their vaccinations “stay at least six feet away from other people” in indoor public places.
Now, the agency recommends that people “avoid crowded areas” or keep their distance from others to reduce exposure to the virus. The agency noted that this precaution could be especially important for people who are at high risk for severe COVID-19.
Do I still have to wear a face mask?
The general mask guidelines have not changed. The CDC still recommends that everyone 2 years of age and older wear a well-fitting mask in public indoor spaces when the local COVID-19 community level is high. People who are at high risk for serious illness should also wear masks when their communities are at moderate levels, according to the guidelines.
According to the CDC, about 40 percent of counties across the United States are at the high community level.
What should I do if I have been exposed to the virus?
As a precautionary measure, the CDC recommends that people who were not up-to-date on their vaccinations and had been in close contact with Stay at home with COVID-19 for at least five days, a practice known as quarantine. (Those who were up-to-date on their shots were not required to quarantine if they were asymptomatic as per previous guidelines.)
The quarantine recommendation has disappeared, one of the biggest changes to the new guidance.
“Quarantine is like a blunt tool,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Epidemiology Center at Brown University School of Public Health. “I think we have to change the way we think about controlling this virus.”
Now, people who have been exposed to the virus can continue their daily routine, regardless of their vaccination status, as long as they remain asymptomatic. However, they should wear a well-fitting mask for a full 10 days, monitor for symptoms, take extra safety measures around vulnerable people, and get tested at least five days after exposure.
If you use an at-home antigen test, you may need to test yourself frequently. To reduce the risk of false negative results, people who have no symptoms should have at least three tests every 48 hours, according to a new recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration. People who have symptoms of Kovid-19 should undergo at least two tests in a span of 48 hours.
“Your viral load goes up after you’re infected,” said Dr. Michael Mina, a former Harvard epidemiologist who is now chief science officer at eMed, which sells at-home tests. “It goes up, and it takes time. Seems like.”
What should I do if I test positive for the virus?
Isolate at home for at least five days and keep distance from others in your home. This recommendation has not changed.
If you remained asymptomatic during your time in isolation – or if your symptoms are improving and you are free of fever for at least a day – you can leave isolation after Day 5 according to the guidelines.
Previously, the CDC recommended that people with COVID-19 wear masks for a full 10 days. Under the new guidelines, people can soon remove their masks if they test negative on two rapid antigen tests taken at least 48 hours apart. Others should continue to wear masks for 10 days.
The agency said people experiencing moderate to severe illness or those with compromised immune systems should remain isolated for at least 10 days.
If symptoms return after isolation, people should end their isolation period, as per the new guidelines.
What does this mean for schools and offices?
In theory, the new guidelines could free many schools and businesses from some of the restrictive measures that have been difficult to enforce, including navigating a different set of rules for vaccinated and non-vaccinated people. Quarantine in schools has been particularly disruptive and divisive.
Under the new guidelines, children who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 are not required to stay at home, and schools are not required to conduct repeated tests to keep these children in the classroom, An approach known as “testing to live”. The CDC said contact tracing and routine surveillance testing of asymptomatic people are no longer necessary in most settings.
In reality, the new guidelines may not change much in many schools, which were fast moving away from these measures. For example, Massachusetts dropped its quarantine requirements for asymptomatic children in May.
Still, some districts and officials take their cue from federal guidance, which could prompt some localities to relax their rules for the coming academic year.
“We welcome these guidelines,” Randy Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a statement Thursday. “Every teacher and every parent starts every school year with great hope, and this year even more so. After two years of uncertainty and disruption, we need as normal a year as possible so that we can live like a laser. Can focus on what the kids need.”
In an email Friday to the New York Times, the New York State Department of Health said it is reviewing the new CDC recommendations and will issue its back-to-school guidance “soon.”
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Friday that it is also reviewing new federal guidelines and is still finalizing plans for the coming school year.
CDC guidelines state that schools facing outbreaks may want to temporarily take extra precautions, including surveillance testing, contact tracing, wearing masks and opening windows and doors to improve ventilation.
(This story has not been edited by seemayo staff and is published from a rss feed)