CDC just made coronavirus self-isolation a little less terrible – BGR

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an updated guide last Friday for coronavirus patients who self-isolate at home while recovering.
• The CDC previously recommended that anyone with symptoms stay home for 10 days and then wait at least 72 hours after the fever has subsided to leave isolation, but now the CDC says to wait just 24 hours after the fever disappear is enough.
• It is important to check the CDC website often for updated guidance on COVID-19.

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It may seem like the new coronavirus pandemic started a lifetime ago, but in reality, the virus is so new that the orientation of national and international health groups is still changing weekly, if not daily. While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is being hurt by the Trump administration, the organization has continued to tweak its messages about the virus, and the latest update is especially important. Last Friday, the CDC made major changes to its guidelines for people recovering from COVID-19 in their homes.

Previously, the CDC suggested that patients with positive symptoms for COVID-19 should isolate themselves at home for at least 10 days after symptoms first appear, and then wait at least 72 hours from the last sign of fever without using any medications. to reduce fever before finishing isolation. As of July 17, the CDC now says that as long as she has gone 24 hours without fever after her 10-day isolation, she is not likely to infect anyone else.

“SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations measured in upper respiratory tract samples decrease after the onset of symptoms,” says the CDC in a new document that explains the reasoning for adjusting its guidance.

“The probability of recovering a replication competent virus also decreases after the onset of symptoms. For patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, the replication competent virus has not recovered after 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Recovery of replication competent virus 10-20 days after symptom onset has been documented in some people with severe COVID-19, which in some cases was complicated by immunocompromised status. However, in this series of patients, it was estimated that 88% and 95% of their samples no longer produced replicating competent viruses after 10 and 15 days, respectively, after the onset of symptoms. “

In addition, the document also says that “retesting within 3 months after the symptom onset date of initial COVID-19 infection is not recommended” for those who recover and no longer have symptoms.

The second change is more about semantics, but it is equally important. The guideline for patients with COVID-19 in isolation previously stated that one of the criteria for ending isolation was “improvement in respiratory symptoms,” but as the list of symptoms has expanded quite substantially, the CDC They updated the page to simply say “improvement in symptoms.” COVID-19’s long list of symptoms seems to grow every week, and now includes non-respiratory complications such as fatigue, loss of taste and smell, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

As important as it is for everyone to wear a mask, wash their hands, distance themselves socially and get tested, it is so vital that those who test positive know where they are and how to protect those around them. The good news is that the updated CDC guide means your self-isolation won’t be as long as you expected.