The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its guidance both for people exposed to and people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus in charge of the ongoing pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019.
For much of 2020, how and when exactly the virus was still contagious was largely unknown, as scientists were dealing with the fallout of a virus that transmits pre-symptomatically through the air. Quarantine and isolation periods were 14 days for that year, and then with updated guidance in the winter of 2021, the quarantine/isolation period was changed to 10 days.
Now it's been scaled back to five.
And people are NOT happy.
The CDC:pic.twitter.com/xVnHJXJw9J— Sam Stryker (@Sam Stryker) 1640801438
The CDC just announced you don\u2019t actually have to wash your hands, just get the fingies a little wet— Ariel Dumas (@Ariel Dumas) 1640665813
the CDC announced they\u2019re dating pete davidson— Maddy Gross \u273f (@Maddy Gross \u273f) 1640706125
The CDC now recommends that if you are secretly in love with me you have to tell me— Zach Schiffman (@Zach Schiffman) 1640715647
“Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the omicron variant," the Center said,
"CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to five days, if asymptomatic, followed by five days of wearing a mask when around others."
The timing of this rather unfortunately came when the CEO of Delta Airlines asked the agency to shorten quarantine times for vaccinated people with breakthrough cases.
Last week CEOs of Delta and Airlines for America(and JetBlue) requested the CDC reconsider its recommended 10 day isolation period, fearing further lost profits due to canceled flights bc of staff shortages\n\nYesterday the CDC announced it was reducing rec isolation time to 5 dayspic.twitter.com/FSa37k0F9b— Radio Free Amanda \u4f59\u7f8e\u5a1c (@Radio Free Amanda \u4f59\u7f8e\u5a1c) 1640713381
CDC shortens isolation requirements to: "Whatever your boss needs."— chris hauselt (@chris hauselt) 1640641817
BREAKING: CDC doubles five-second rule for dropped food— Leta McCollough Seletzky, JD (@Leta McCollough Seletzky, JD) 1640666284
New CDC guidance:pic.twitter.com/WVJf2Xkpnv— The \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 T.A.L. \ud83c\udff4Symbiont \ud83c\udf32 (@The \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 T.A.L. \ud83c\udff4Symbiont \ud83c\udf32) 1640671226
Coronavirus Disease 2019 is currently the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind cancer and heart disease. With a death toll of over 800,000 people and a shockingly large amount of Americans remaining unvaccinated, the CDC's decision is seen as being against public health rather than for it.
However, the agency also adapted its guidance and says that even people fully vaccinated with the original series should quarantine for five days if exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Previous guidance indicated that fully vaccinated people did not have to quarantine upon exposure.
the cdc recommends that you should release your inhibitions and feel the rain on your skin— Hurt CoPain (@Hurt CoPain) 1640706019
The CDC just announced real eyes realize real lies— Reeezy (@Reeezy) 1640794667
CDC recommends splitting up your quarantine over your two 15min breaks— Zak Toscani (@Zak Toscani) 1640648926
the CDC:pic.twitter.com/mJOWuOxqVR— Bes D. Marx (@Bes D. Marx) 1640803761
In 2020, a year rocked by the pandemic, many Americans lost faith in public institutions due to the United States' poor response to the spread of the virus.
Even close to two years later, that trust is not so easily re-earned.
NBC News via Lisa Anderson