Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are reportedly planning to update guidance regarding patients with the Chinese coronavirus.
Those who test positive no longer need to isolate themselves for five days, according to an article published Tuesday by the Washington Post.
“The agency is loosening its covid isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021 to align it with guidance on how to avoid transmitting flu and RSV, according to four agency officials and an expert familiar with the discussions,” the report stated.
CDC officials have recently said that most people have developed some immunity to the illness due to prior infection or vaccination, thus the reported change in guidance.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the CDC’s webpage titled “Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19” said individuals who test positive for the virus should remain at home for at least five days and isolate from others who also live there.
“You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days,” the agency stated.
However, when speaking about the reported updates, infectious disease expert with the University of Minnesota Michael T. Osterholm told the Post that “Public health has to be realistic.”
“In making recommendations to the public today, we have to try to get the most out of what people are willing to do. … You can be absolutely right in the science and yet accomplish nothing because no one will listen to you,” Osterholm added.
The health agency is reportedly planning to recommend that patients with the virus review their symptoms and decide when to return to their daily routines, the Post article continued:
Under the new approach, people would no longer need to stay home if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication and their symptoms are mild and improving, according to three agency officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.
In May 2021, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said Americans had “lost patience” with the CDC’s deployment of revising its guidelines to reflect those who took the coronavirus vaccines, per Breitbart News.
Months later in December, establishment media questioned the CDC’s shortened five-day quarantine guidance due to worries the updates were driven by money, the outlet reported at the time.