New guidance provided by CDC on COVID-19 quarantine and isolation

We can never have too much information when it comes to COVID-19 safety, though we’ll be the first to admit a weariness when discussing the endless pandemic after two years. No matter, safety is paramount for our employees.

On December 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided new guidance on recommended quarantine times and isolation for individuals exposed to COVID-19. Employers following the CDC’s advice should consider revising their practices with these new updates.

Isolation Times
Vaccinated or not, any individual with a confirmed COVID-19 infection should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic, they may leave isolation while continuing to wear a mask for an additional 5 days. The CDC also stated individuals who have a fever 5 days after infection should continue to stay home until the fever dissipates.

Quarantine Times
Per the CDC, individuals exposed to someone with COVID-19 who are either unvaccinated or vaccinated but more than 6 months removed from their Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or more than 2 months removed from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and are not boosted, should quarantine for 5 days, followed by an additional 5 days of mask use.

For individuals who received booster doses of their vaccines, the CDC advises that quarantine is not necessary after exposure, but these individuals should wear a mask for 10 days.

If a quarantine is impractical, the CDC recommends all exposed individuals to wear a mask when around others for 10 days to mitigate COVID-19’s spread. The CDC also notes that individuals test for the virus 5 days after exposure and, if symptoms occur, to quarantine until a negative COVID-19 test.

Please note the CDC’s new guidance is simply advisory, and employers should stay apprised of state laws involving mandatory masks and vaccination requirements.

We hope you have a happy and safe New Year!