With more than 200,000 daily cases of Covid-19 over the past two days and while the omicron variant, much more transmissible, is now the majority in the United States, the risk of paralysis of the American economy due to lack of labor. work was too strong. To avoid it, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) announced on Monday a modification of the health protocol in the event of infection by the coronavirus: patients will now be able to reduce their duration of isolation from ten to five days. , provided they are asymptomatic.
The country’s main health agency clarified that this measure was “Justified by science”, that the majority of infections occur within two days and three days after symptom onset. “These updates allow everyone to continue their daily life in safety”, assured Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC. The organization nevertheless calls on positive people to continue wearing the mask for five days after release from quarantine.
The quarantine period for unvaccinated contact cases is also reduced from fourteen to five days, with the advice also to wear a mask strictly within the following five days. Fully vaccinated contact cases do not need to self-isolate.
On December 23, the quarantine period for caregivers had already been reduced following recommendations from the CDC, which have reference value and are widely followed in the United States but do not constitute a federal obligation.
In France, the question of the duration of the isolation of people with contact cases also arises. If no changes were introduced at the press conference held by Jean Castex and Olivier Véran on Monday, the Prime Minister said new rules would emerge “By the end of the week, once the consultations with our scientific bodies have been completed.” “It will be a matter of placing less strain on those vaccinated”, he added.