The US CDC has updated rules for health care workers who test positive for COVID, reducing the required isolation time to combat fears of staffing shortages.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky announced new, updated COVID-19 school guidelines on testing and quarantining for Covid-19

The US CDC has updated rules for health care workers who test positive for COVID, reducing the required isolation time to combat fears of staffing shortages.—Newsweek

Key Points

In general, asymptomatic HCP who have had a higher-risk exposure do not require work restriction if they have received all COVID-19 vaccine doses, including booster dose, as recommended by CDC and do not develop symptoms or test positive for SARS-CoV-2. The duration of protection offered by booster doses of vaccine and their effect on emerging variants are not clear; additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

US CDC webpage: Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2

The guidelines will now allow for a student that has been exposed to COVID-19 to avoid quarantine, if they and the person they were exposed to wore a mask during the time of exposure. If the student continues to test negative 7 days after exposure, they can resume classes without the need to quarantine. The students are expected to continue to get tested up until 7 days after exposure and remain masked while indoors. – Washington Post