Covid-19: the isolation period for infected people halved in the United States

A turning point in the management of the health crisis in the United States? Despite the explosion of daily Covid-19 contaminations, due to the Omicron variant, the health authorities have decided to reduce the quarantine period for people positive for the virus. The duration of isolation increases from ten to five days for asymptomatic people and from 14 to five for unvaccinated contact cases, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) said on Monday. In a statement, they said the majority of infections occurred in the two days before and three days after symptom onset, making a longer period of sidelining inappropriate.

In addition, the leading US health agency advises wearing a mask for five days after quarantine, while fully vaccinated contact cases do not need to self-isolate.

This measure comes in a health context of the most uncertain with the rapid expansion of the Omicron variant, much more transmissible, but possibly less serious. According to New York Times, 214,499 new Covid-19 contaminations were recorded on Sunday, a jump of 83% on an average of 14 days. The daily record reached in January 2021, of 251,232 cases, is fast approaching.

At the same time, the daily number of deaths has also increased but in a much less marked way (+ 3%) with 1,328 deaths on average in recent days. “Omicron is a source of concern but should not be a source of panic”, attempted Monday to reassure President Joe Biden. “Because there have been so many vaccinations and third doses, we are not seeing hospital admissions increase that much.” than before, he added at a time when 72% of the population received at least one injection.

The reduction of the isolation period should have a considerable impact on the other side of the Atlantic, in particular freeing the economy and education from a constraint that many considered too heavy. The change should also be particularly important for professional sportsmen at a time when the big American leagues are upset by the multiplication of the entries in “health and safety protocols”. In the NBA, for example, several dozen players are currently on the sidelines.