The Centers for Disease Control has updated its guidelines on what people should do if they are diagnosed with coronavirus disease.
The revised quarantine guidelines say that people who test positive for COVID should be quarantined for at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Quarantine can end when the patient shows a general improvement in symptoms, including being fever-free for at least 24 hours without the help of fever-reducing medications. Asymptomatic patients can complete isolation 10 days after the date of their first positive test.
“This update incorporates recent evidence to inform the duration of isolation and recommended precautions to avoid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to others, while limiting unnecessary prolonged isolation and unnecessary use of laboratory testing resources,” the CDC said in a statement.
Previously, the CDC recommended quarantined for 14 days and had two negative tests to end isolation.
The CDC cautions, however, that some people with serious illnesses may still have a “prolonged duration of isolation” of up to 20 days.
One thing that hasn’t changed: People who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 must stay home for at least 14 days after their initial exposure.
According to the CDC, quarantined people must stay home, separate from others, monitor their health, and follow the instructions of their state or local health department.
