CDC hands down quarantine changes for omicron variant

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, (WBRC) - Big changes started Tuesday in the CDC guidelines and the quarantine schedule.

When COVID first arrived on the scene a couple of years ago, it was 10 days in isolation but not with the omicron virus. The CDC shortened the quarantine timeline from 10 days to 5 days.

The thinking behind the change is based on science; that is, it appears the majority of the COVID transmissions occur in the early stages of the illness, generally in the one to two day time frame.

“After the CDC reviewed the data surrounding the transmissibility and incubation period of the virus, the period between when someone gets infected and gets sick, they realized that it’s shortened to around 5 days, so after 5 days, it’s very unlikely they’ll spread to other people, especially with masks,” said Alabama Department of Public Health District Medical Center Director Dr. Wes Stubblefield.

If you think about it, this is a silver lining; you can come out of isolation after 5 days if you’re asymptomatic, but the CDC strongly recommends you wear a mask for an additional 5 days.

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