Everything you need to know about the CDC's changes to COVID guidelines
On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention loosened their COVID-19 guidelines. Here’s what you need to know.
Why did the CDC take this action?
According to the agency’s online summary, “COVID-19 remains an ongoing public health threat; however, high levels of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity and the availability of medical and nonpharmaceutical interventions have substantially reduced the risk of medically significant illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.”
What are the key points in the new guidance?
The six-foot social distancing standard has been dropped.
Regardless of their vaccination status, individuals exposed to coronavirus now do not need to quarantine at home – but they are advised to wear a mask for ten days and be tested on the fifth day after exposure.
With some exceptions, the CDC no longer recommends testing or screening in schools, day-care centers, workplaces and other settings.
“When considering whether and where to implement screening testing of asymptomatic people with no known exposure, public health officials might consider prioritizing high-risk congregate settings, such as long-term care facilities, homeless shelters and correctional facilities, and workplace settings that include congregate housing with limited access to medical care,” the CDC wrote.
Has guidance on masking changed?
No. The CDC continues to recommend indoor masking in places listed as high on the COVID community scale. None of Rhode Island’s five counties were rated high as of Thursday (Bristol, Kent, Providence and Washington Counties were listed at medium, with Newport County at low).
What about people who are traveling or working in public transit?
“At this time, for people 2 years or older—including passengers and workers – CDC recommends properly wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, buses, ferries) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, and seaports),” the CDC writes.
Does ventilation remain important?
Yes. "For persons unable to wear a mask or children (under) 2 years, other prevention actions should be taken, such as additional physical distancing and increased ventilation," the CDC writes. "Exposed persons who develop symptoms should receive testing promptly."
What does the Rhode Island Department of Health say?
“This guidance was just issued yesterday (Thursday),” spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth wrote in an email, “and states received additional details and clarifications from CDC yesterday evening. RIDOH, and all of our partners, are currently reviewing the guidance and will determine what updates need to be made to existing guidance and recommendations, both sector-specific and for the general public.”
And what does Dr. Megan L. Ranney, emergency medicine physician and Academic Dean of the Brown School of Public Health, say?
“These minor changes reflect the reality of how most Americans are already behaving, and will simplify school and workplace rules,” Ranney told The Journal in an email.
“They also further move the United States from a society-wide prevention effort to individual focused prevention. But this individual-level focus comes with an obligation: I hope that we continue to ensure that tools – like boosters, tests, masks, building ventilation and post-infection treatment – are available to those who are most vulnerable.”
Could these new guidelines change?
Yes, depending on the future course of the pandemic, which has seen multiple surges and new variants since its onset in Rhode Island in early 2020. “Rapid identification of emergent variants necessitating a shift in prevention strategy makes continued detection, monitoring, and characterization of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants essential,” the CDC wrote.
Where can I find more detail about the CDC’s new guidance?
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: CDC loosens COVID guidelines: everything you need to know
