CDC says 14-day quarantine best way to reduce Covid risk, but 10- and 7-day periods work in some cases. 

KEY POINTS

• The CDC still recommends a 14-day quarantine “as the best way to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.”
• However, the quarantine can end after 10 days if the person has not developed any symptoms and after just seven days if the asymptomatic person also tests negative for the virus, the CDC’s Dr. Henry Walke said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Wednesday shortened alternatives to its recommended quarantine for people who were exposed to someone with Covid-19.

The CDC previously recommended that anyone who was exposed to the coronavirus quarantine for 14 days. Dr. Henry Walke, the agency’s Covid incident manager, said the CDC still recommends a 14-day quarantine “as the best way to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.” However, he said the agency has identified “two acceptable alternatives.”

The quarantine can end after 10 days if the person has not developed any symptoms and can end after just seven days if the asymptomatic person also tests negative for the virus, Walke said. He added that the sample for the negative test should be collected within 48 hours of the final day of quarantine.

“We continue to refine our guidance to prevent transmission and protect Americans,” Walke said. “Reducing the length of quarantine may make it easier for people to follow critical public health action by reducing the economic hardship associated with a longer period, especially if they cannot work during that time.”

Walke added that local health officials can adjust the agency’s recommendations to fit the situations of their jurisdictions. He said regardless of the length of quarantine, people should monitor their own symptoms for a full 14 days after an exposure.

 https://www.cnbc.com/health-and-science/