Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. ...
[T]he President will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals
Is that still the guideline? I know several people who have gotten COVID recently and just went about like normal, like people used to do when they were sick pre-pandemic. I told one of them they were morons, but they claimed you don't have to isolate any more since the CDC changed their guidelines.
It's actually worse than that. You're supposed to isolate until you're not feverish and your symptoms are improving. Which is not really at all related to when you can spread it.
My understanding was that the instructions from the CDC were changed based on when you are likely to be contagious. The research indicated that following the updated guidance is sufficient to prevent/reduce the spread. At least, that's the explanation I read when they changed the recommendation. Can't find it now.
Realistically, it's not the people who are following the CDC guidance who are spreading COVID.
How long are you contagious after you test positive for COVID-19?
After testing positive for COVID-19, the duration of contagiousness can vary. However, individuals are typically contagious for about 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
For those with mild to moderate symptoms, this period can be shorter, often around 5-7 days. For people with severe symptoms or those with a weakened immune system, contagiousness can last up to 20 days.
They also dropped from 10 days to 5 originally because businesses were worried about not having enough employees over the holidays. The CDC is a political organization, not a medical one.
“It was not a reflection of evidence-based” science, he said. “It was there to stop everything from falling apart.”
At that time, a large chunk of the population was testing positive all at once because of the highly contagious variant. Recommending that everyone stay home — and out of work — for 10 days would have brought the country to a halt once again, so the five-day plan was put in place.
Realistically, it’s not the people who are following the CDC guidance who are spreading COVID.
Not when the CDC recommendations are basically nonexistent. And importantly the CDC recommendations define what businesses support. If the CDC says you don't have to isolate for 5 days, your boss doesn't have to give you 5 days of COVID leave.
When people get sick with a respiratory virus, the updated guidance recommends that they stay home and away from others. For people with COVID-19 and influenza, treatment is available and can lessen symptoms and lower the risk of severe illness. The recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication.
So yes, the guidance is that you isolate until you are fever free and other symptoms are at least improving. The major change is that they don't recommend a fixed length of isolation anymore.
Girlfriend had it couple weeks ago. She stayed at home. Missed some important events too. But she rather do that than risk spreading it even more or infecting someone at risk.