The length of stay for people with a positive covid test may depend on the individual approach. The agency recommends that people stay home for 24 hours after they are fever-free without medication and their symptoms improve. The Washington Post He reported.
The CDC has not confirmed or denied plans to shorten the isolation period, but said the agency is looking to change its overall Covid guidelines. NBC News.
It can give people a false sense of security when they are still contagious.
Dr. Purvi Parikh
Immunologist and Allergist with the Allergy and Asthma Network
While experts agree that no matter how long it’s been since the last change, new Covid-19 guidelines are warranted, not all of them are on the plan the CDC might suggest.
“I have some concerns about the new plan because I’m worried that people will have a false sense of security when they’re still contagious and it could lead to some transmission,” said immunologist and allergist Dr. Purvi Parikh. Allergy and Asthma Network.
“So those guidelines will change quite a bit before they’re released in April because they haven’t been approved yet.”
Parikh’s biggest concern now is that the symptoms of covid do not look the same in everyone: “Not everyone gets covid fever. Sometimes people’s infections are very mild now, especially if they have been vaccinated or have developed some. Most of the population is immune to covid.”
This means that even people who don’t have a fever can still be contagious and pass the virus on to others, which can be particularly dangerous for people in vulnerable groups such as those over 65, people with weakened immune systems or individuals with long-term illnesses. covid.
But some experts are looking to suggest guidelines for people to follow, and simplifying protocols a bit could be a way to do that, especially considering that many people have developed some level of immunity to Covid.
“When we give advice to the public today, we have to try to get the most out of what people want to do,” said Michael T. said Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota. The Washington Post.
The new advice hasn’t been approved yet, but if it does, here’s Parikh’s advice for those who test positive for Covid.
If you find yourself with a positive covid test, Parikh “suggests you still do the five days.” [isolation] The regulation we are doing now. Or you can wait for a solution. So if it goes away in a day or two, that’s fine.”
Some people may need to leave their homes while showing symptoms for a number of reasons, and Parikh advises that if that applies to you, “at least wear a mask to protect yourself and others.”
She says the clear signs that you should stay home and isolate yourself from others, or at least wear a mask around other people:
- Fever
- Sneezing
- Especially with liquid cough
- sore throat
- Muscle pain
If you have these symptoms and test positive for Covid, Parikh says you should talk to your primary care doctor about whether paxlovide is a good fit for treatment.
In addition, “what I and other doctors recommend is getting a quick test as part of the guidelines,” she added, adding that it’s a good way to have some level of confidence that you’re not contagious before you end your isolation.
Although that test is not perfect, at least if you are positive, it gives you an idea that you are still contagious and have an active virus in you. On the other hand, if it is negative, it will not eliminate it completely. But it makes you less likely to spread that much,” says Parikh.
She emphasized that people from vulnerable groups should regularly monitor their vaccinations and boosters. Parrick also encourages people at high risk of contracting the virus to assess their surroundings, wear a mask in public places and avoid people who appear to be sneezing or coughing to reduce their risk of contracting the virus.
If the plan is approved, “it will be released during peak allergy season when everyone is coughing and sneezing, so it will be challenging,” Parikh says. But those high-risk individuals should always, unfortunately, play like a defensive driver and protect themselves.
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