January 5, 2022 – According to The Washington Post, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have clarified their quarantine recommendations after a bout of confusion regarding previous quarantine requirements.
The CDC said that anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been asymptomatic does not need to get tested or remain in isolation for five days after their positive confirmation. This gives asymptomatic people the all-clear to return to work and other activities without receiving a negative test, with the advisement that they should wear a mask and avoid immunocompromised people. Anyone who tests positives five days after their initial test should isolate for another five days.
This updated language comes a week after the CDC’s last recommendation to reduce the amount of isolation time for those that have tested positive for COVID. Health experts raised their own concerns over the last update, saying that “1 in 3 people are still infectious at day 5, when the CDC is saying people can leave their quarantine.”
Additionally, the CDC reiterated that fabric masks that meet certain conditions will offer enough protection against spreading or contracting COVID-19. The organization recirculated this information with the updated guidance for isolation after a coronavirus infection.
The CDC referred to its existing recommendations on masks, saying “proper face coverings should have a wire that can be bent over the nose to provide a more secure fit.” Anyone using fabric or disposable masks should use a “mask fitter or brace” to “prevent air from leaking around the edges.” Additionally, a cloth mask with multiple layers or a disposable mask underneath the fabric mask will also offer sufficient protection.
Medical experts say that any mask is better than nothing, but most suggest surgical masks or the tight fit of an N95 for the best protection.