US shortens virus quarantine to 7-10 days

US health officials recommend a shortened quarantine period for people exposed to COVID-19, from 14 to 10 days if they haven’t taken a test and have not developed symptoms.

This can be further reduced to just seven days if the exposed person receives a negative test, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) scientist Henry Walke says.

“Reducing the length of quarantine may make it easier for people to take this critical public health action, reducing the economic hardship associated with a longer period, especially if they cannot work during that time,” he says.

“We believe that if we can reduce the burden a little bit, accepting that it comes at a small cost, we may get a greater compliance overall.”

The US is seeing more than 150,000 new cases a day and is bracing for a coronavirus super-surge following extensive travel over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The new guidance, which will be posted on the CDC’s website and passed on to state and other local jurisdictions, was based on the latest research regarding infectiousness and how the disease progresses.

— AFP