US Health Officials Ease Preventive Separation Guidelines for People with COVID-19
2021-12-29
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1United States health officials have reduced quarantine restrictions for Americans with the coronavirus who do not show signs of infection.
2Individuals without signs of infection should isolate for five days, instead of 10, officials say.
3The health officials also shortened the time that those exposed to the virus should stay away from other people.
4Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the change on Monday.
5The agency said there is growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.
6The decision was also driven by the large increase in COVID-19 cases because of the Omicron version, or variant, of the virus.
7Early research suggests Omicron may cause less severe sickness than earlier versions of the new coronavirus.
8But the large number of people becoming infected and isolating themselves is hurting businesses, experts say.
9Last week, the agency also changed rules for health care workers.
10Earlier, rules said that health care workers should stay away from work for 10 days if a test shows they are infected with the virus.
11The new guidelines say workers could go back to work after seven days if a test shows they do not have the virus and do not have symptoms.
12On Monday, the CDC changed its isolation and quarantine guidance for the public.
13The change is aimed at people who are not experiencing symptoms.
14People who have symptoms during quarantine should stay home, the agency said.
15Lindsay Wiley is a public health law expert at American University.
16She said the CDC's quarantine guidance is confusing to the public.
17And the new recommendations are "happening at a time when more people are testing positive for the first time and looking for guidance."
18The isolation rules are for people who are infected.
19They are the same for people who are unvaccinated, partly vaccinated, fully vaccinated or have the booster shot.
20The rules say the quarantine starts the day of testing positive.
21An infected person should go into quarantine for five days, instead of 10.
22At the end of five days, infected people may return to normal activities if there are no symptoms.
23But they must wear a mask everywhere for at least five more days.
24If there are still symptoms after five days, they should wait until symptoms improve before returning to normal activities.
25The quarantine rules are for people who were in close contact with an infected person but not infected themselves.
26A quarantine starts the day someone is told they may have been exposed to the virus.
27Before, the CDC said people who were not fully vaccinated and who came in close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days.
28Now the agency says only people who get booster shots do not need to quarantine.
29When people get infected, the risk of spread drops after five days, but it does not disappear for everyone, said Dr. Aaron Glatt.
30He is a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
31"If you decrease it to five days, you're still going to have a small but significant number of people who are contagious," he said.
32That is why wearing masks remains an important part of the CDC guidance, officials said.
33The new CDC guidance is not a requirement.
34It is a recommendation to employers and state and local officials.
35Last week, New York state said it would expand on the CDC's guidance for health care workers.
36The change "is going to be perceived as coming in response to pressure from business interests," Wiley said.
37But she said some experts have been calling for the changes for months.
38I'm Dan Novak.
1United States health officials have reduced quarantine restrictions for Americans with the coronavirus who do not show signs of infection. 2Individuals without signs of infection should isolate for five days, instead of 10, officials say. The health officials also shortened the time that those exposed to the virus should stay away from other people. 3Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the change on Monday. The agency said there is growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop. 4The decision was also driven by the large increase in COVID-19 cases because of the Omicron version, or variant, of the virus. 5Early research suggests Omicron may cause less severe sickness than earlier versions of the new coronavirus. But the large number of people becoming infected and isolating themselves is hurting businesses, experts say. 6Last week, the agency also changed rules for health care workers. Earlier, rules said that health care workers should stay away from work for 10 days if a test shows they are infected with the virus. The new guidelines say workers could go back to work after seven days if a test shows they do not have the virus and do not have symptoms. 7On Monday, the CDC changed its isolation and quarantine guidance for the public. The change is aimed at people who are not experiencing symptoms. People who have symptoms during quarantine should stay home, the agency said. 8Lindsay Wiley is a public health law expert at American University. She said the CDC's quarantine guidance is confusing to the public. And the new recommendations are "happening at a time when more people are testing positive for the first time and looking for guidance." 9Isolation 10The isolation rules are for people who are infected. They are the same for people who are unvaccinated, partly vaccinated, fully vaccinated or have the booster shot. 11The rules say the quarantine starts the day of testing positive. An infected person should go into quarantine for five days, instead of 10. 12At the end of five days, infected people may return to normal activities if there are no symptoms. But they must wear a mask everywhere for at least five more days. If there are still symptoms after five days, they should wait until symptoms improve before returning to normal activities. 13Quarantine 14The quarantine rules are for people who were in close contact with an infected person but not infected themselves. 15A quarantine starts the day someone is told they may have been exposed to the virus. 16Before, the CDC said people who were not fully vaccinated and who came in close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days. Now the agency says only people who get booster shots do not need to quarantine. 17Five days 18When people get infected, the risk of spread drops after five days, but it does not disappear for everyone, said Dr. Aaron Glatt. He is a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 19"If you decrease it to five days, you're still going to have a small but significant number of people who are contagious," he said. 20That is why wearing masks remains an important part of the CDC guidance, officials said. 21Not a mandate 22The new CDC guidance is not a requirement. It is a recommendation to employers and state and local officials. Last week, New York state said it would expand on the CDC's guidance for health care workers. 23The change "is going to be perceived as coming in response to pressure from business interests," Wiley said. But she said some experts have been calling for the changes for months. 24I'm Dan Novak. 25The Associated Press reported this story. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 26___________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28quarantine - n. the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading 29isolation - n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others 30symptom -n. a change in the body or mind that shows that a disease is present 31confuse - v. to make (someone) uncertain or unable to understand something 32test positive -v. to have a test show that a disease is present in a person's body 33booster - n. an action or substance that makes something stronger or more effective 34expose -v. to be affected by something; to experience something 35significant - adj. large or important enough to be noticed or to have an effect 36contagious - adj. able to be passed from one person or animal to another by touching 37perceive - v. to notice or to become aware of something