The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has brought down the time that citizens should be quarantined or isolated if they are COVID positive. The present COVID mandate is 5 days, down from the 10 at present. This COVID mandate is applicable for asymptomatic cases. They are also required to be masked for 5 days in the presence of others.
The vaccine mandate has also been tweaked in case of quarantine. It has been brought down to 5 days for vaccinated patients. Those who are both vaccinated and have taken the booster dose may not have to be quarantined.
The Center said in a statement that with the given knowledge about the pandemic, and the new Omicron variant, it is prudent to bring down the recommended vaccine mandate period of isolation down from 10 to 5 days for those without symptoms. That is to be followed by 5 days of staying properly masked when in a public place.
People who have seen a marked improvement in their symptoms may also go outdoors after 5 days as long as the symptoms are mild and show signs of improvement. People running a fever are mandated to stay isolated at home till it subsides, the CDC said.
Change In Vaccine Mandate Motivated By Scientific Demonstration
The significant change announced by CDC in the vaccine mandate has been prompted by proof that transmission of SARS-COV-2 occurs quite early during the full course of infection by the virus. It is usually 2 days before any symptoms and two to three days after the first signs.
So the revised vaccine mandate requires people to only stay isolated for 5 days. Those who have no symptoms can leave isolation as long as they wear a mask for another 5 days. This does away with the risk of transmission.
Other vaccine mandates have been also changed by the CDC. For unvaccinated people, or those who are 6 months away from the 2nd dose of mRNA, or 2 months from the Johnson dose, the quarantine period is 5 days, which is followed by the strict use of a mask for another 5 days.
People vaccinated with the booster dose are exempted from quarantine under the new vaccine mandate.
