SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health on Thursday night announced it is updating its COVID-19 guidance to align with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new shorter recommended times for isolation and quarantine.
The guidance now calls for all individuals with COVID-19 to stay home for at least five days, down from 10. Isolation, the CDPH said, can end after day five if symptoms are not present or resolving and if an antigen test collected on day five or later is negative.
Unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 and vaccinated people who are eligible for a booster but have not yet received one should also stay home for at least five days, as well as get an antigen test on day five, according to the updated guidance.
In addition, the CDPH said vaccinated individuals who have received a booster, or are not eligible for one, and are exposed to COVID-19 do not have to stay home but should test on day five.
The testing aspect was added to the guidance by the CDPH, which also said those who test positive for COVID-19 or are exposed should wear a well-fitting mask for a total of 10 days.
In a news release Monday, the CDC said the isolation and quarantine timeframe changes were motivated by science showing that the majority of coronavirus transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally one to two days prior to onset of symptoms and two to three days after.
“The omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky in a statement. “CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses.
“These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives. Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission, and take a test before you gather.”
The highly contagious omicron variant is driving COVID-19 cases nationally to new daily records.
In California, the day-over-day increase in hospitalizations is steeper than ever, with 451 more people hospitalized Tuesday than the previous day, which was up 346 patients from the day before that, according to a Bay Area News Group analysis. Locally, hospitalizations have spiked most sharply in Contra Costa County – up 76% in the past two weeks. In Orange County to the south, they have risen 89%.
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Source: www.mercurynews.com