Easing COVID Isolation Guidelines Met With Praise & Pushback

-19 as announced late in the afternoon December 27 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is being greeted with praise from New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

Hochul on Friday, December 23, announced guidance to shorten the isolation window for critical workers from 10 to 5 days. The State Health Department guidance issued December 23 says given the high case counts during the current surge, the expected large number of mild or asymptomatic cases in fully vaccinated people has the potential to substantially impact critical services, including healthcare.

The State said in limited circumstances where there is a critical staffing shortage, employers may allow a person to return to work after day five of their isolation period where day zero is defined as either the date of symptom onset or the date of a positive COVID test if the person has not shown symptoms.

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New York Health Department officials said there was evidence that the coronavirus and variants were transmissible for a shorter period of time than the previous ten days.

 The CDC recommendation, which follows New York’s guidance, however is also being met by concern from groups like the Nurses’ Association that says it’s worried the shortened time will allow more potentially contagious individuals to have exposure to others.

Both the state and CDC say people who are returning to work should wear a well-fitting mask.