The Centers for Disease Control has changed its guidelines on how long a person should be quarantined after being diagnosed with coronavirus.
The change occurs when scientists learn more about the virus and how it spreads. It also eliminates the requirement that coronavirus patients obtain negative results before leaving isolation.
For people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 who had symptoms, the CDC says you may be with other people after:
- At least 10 days after the first symptoms appeared;
- At least 24 hours without fever without fever medications and;
- The symptoms have improved.
People with serious illnesses, such as hospital admission or the need for oxygen, may require isolation for 10 days or more, possibly up to 20 days, according to the CDC.
Those who test positive for COVID-19 but have no symptoms can finish their isolation after 10 days have passed since their first positive test.
The change comes after the studies showed that the patients did not have a “replication competent virus” after 10 days. For patients with severe cases of COVID-19, 88% were found to be non-contagious after 10 days; 95% were not contagious after 15 days, according to reports.
In a briefing last week, Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of health for the Department of Health and Human Services, said the requirement for negative testing to end isolation was related to the first cruise ship outbreaks.
“That is no longer necessary, and it is medically unnecessary,” he said. “Some people took tests four to six times. You don’t need to retest unless you’re seriously ill or immunosuppressed, where you could kill the virus longer. “
You can view CDC guidelines here.
Here are the latest national coronavirus headlines:
New Orleans closes bars
New Orleans is closing its bars.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell ordered all bars to be closed in an effort to reverse an increase in new cases of coronavirus in the city. The ban went into effect on Saturday morning and also includes a ban against the sale of go-cups in bars and restaurants.
Cantrell said the bans will continue until the city is in a “better health position.”
Latest coronavirus numbers
More than 1,000 people died every day for four consecutive days last week from the coronavirus, according to a follow-up from John Hopkins University. The death toll in the United States from the virus is more than 146,000 as of Sunday.
The United States currently has 4.1 million confirmed cases of coronavirus.
In the south, Georgia broke a record for a single day on Friday, reporting 4,813 new cases of COVID-19. Another 3,787 new cases were reported Saturday. More than 165,180 people tested positive in the state.
Support for Trump’s handling of the COVID crisis falls to a new low
According to a new poll, support for President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic fell to a new low on Sunday.
The poll, conducted by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, showed that 32% of Americans said they supported the President’s response to the COVID crisis. That figure is a 12-point decrease from when the same question was asked in March.
Overall, 38% of Americans said they approved of the job the President was doing at the White House.
