Shortening of COVID-19 Quarantine Period, Likely to be Recommended by CDC

The first wave of Coronavirus led humanity into great turmoil. Since the disease is new, and there is no adequate research to support the people in this battle, the toll count for COVID-19 positive patients has surged and led every hospital's emergency rooms fully occupied. This led the health organizations to formulate safety protocols such as social distancing, wearing masks, hand washing to prevent further infections. They also mandated a 14-day quarantine period for patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and for those who were exposed to infected people.

(Photo: Gerd Altmann )

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However, Federal health officials are proposing to shorten the 14-day quarantine period to seven days. The White House Coronavirus Task Force Adm. Brett Giroir, MD, said in a news conference that "preponderance of evidence" that a shorter quarantine complemented by tests may be enough to make the spread of COVID-19 sluggish, and a 14-day quarantine may not be necessary.

It is remembered that the 14-day quarantine or isolation administered by the previous COVID-19 positive patients was mandated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to them, quarantine aids in preventing the spread of disease that can occur even before a person knows that they are sick or infected with the virus without having the manifestation of coronavirus.

Giroir added that they are actively working on the guidance, reviewing the evidence, to be very sure. He added that these kinds of recommendations are not easy. In an interview with CNN, Giroir notes that half of the people become symptomatic at day five, which is an indication that the virus is present. There is a long tail of very low probability afterward. He stresses that the CDC is looking and will be driven by data that if an individual gets a test on day 7 or 10, this can shorten the quarantine from seven to ten days.

Experts views

In an email sent to NPR, a senior scholar from John Hopkins Center for Health Security, Jennifer Nuzzo, said that shortening of quarantine recommendations to further focus on the time during which the vast majority of people who are exposed to the virus are likely to become contagious is a wise and practical move that is likely to boost compliance.

She added in the email that as of now, the contact tracing efforts in the United States are severely disrupted by profound hindrances for contacts of cases to quarantine. She also praises that the seven to ten-day quarantine period endorsement may be easier for people to take in. She also hopes that this will result to get more contacts of cases to comply.

On the quarantine regulation shift

In the announcement of the sudden review of quarantine regulations, Giroir stresses in the interview with CNN that this is still not an announcement that the shift on quarantine regulations are safe; however, they are looking at the possibility alongside the increase of knowledge they have about the virus compared in the earlier manifestations of the pandemic. He also emphasized that people are more likely to listen to a 10-day quarantine than a 14-day quarantine. When they can shorten it safely, and without risk, that might improve the public health response.

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