CDC announces plans to cut quarantine period to 7 days

Throughout the pandemic, the World Health Organization has suggested a 14-day isolation period for confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus. 

But, in a recent announcement, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says it is planning on reducing the advised quarantine to 7 to 10 days.

It’s hoped that the plans, which are still being finalized, will encourage more people to fully self-isolate. At the moment, there are lots of cases where this is not happening. 

According to the CDC, “people would be better able to adhere to quarantine if it was, for example, seven to 10 days.”

The CDC previously recommended a period of 14 days for self-isolation, in line with WHO guidelines. Once reduced, it’s suggested that part of the new procedure would be testing the person at the end of the 7-day period. 

In cases of negative results after 7 days, the CDC says that the “probability of going on and developing an infection after that is pretty low.”

Although there’s still a risk of some infections being missed using this method, health officials believe it would be worthwhile as it would increase the number of people isolating properly. 

Surge in infections predicted

In the next few months, it’s predicted that the current surge in COVID-19 infections will continue. Last week, it reached 12.5 million cases. And, with the holiday season coming up, it’s likely that the number of new cases will rise further. 

It’s hoped that the new guidelines will limit the spread of the virus. But, it’s still noted that millions of Americans are planning to ignore health advice and continue with their plans. 

In particular, travel across the country could have a large impact on the numbers. A new wave of infections could appear in the next few weeks. 

The CDC says that, if people are to continue with travel, gatherings and holiday events, they should be as vigilant as possible and follow safety measures like social distancing, good personal hygiene, and wearing a mask.