In the updated guidance unveiled on Thursday, Aug. 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was no longer recommending that unvaccinated people quarantine after possibly being exposed to the virus.
Instead, the CDC said they should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested five days after they were exposed.
The agency had previously said unvaccinated people and those who haven't received their booster shots should quarantine for five days after exposure.
The CDC is also no longer recommending that schools rely on test-to-stay policies, which allowed students who had close contact with COVID-19 to remain in class if they continued to test negative.
“This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives,” said CDC spokesperson, Dr. Greta Massetti.
Regardless of vaccination status, the agency said those who test positive for the virus should stay home for at least five days, and wait until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without the help of medication before being around others.
The CDC stressed the importance of staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations to protect against serious illness, hospitalizations, and death.
Find out more about COVID-19 and vaccinations on the CDC website.
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