The Centers for Disease Control Prevention released new guidelines that said health workers with COVID-19 no longer need to isolate for 10 days.
The agency updated its quarantine guidance for health workers on Thursday as the nation deals with a surge in omicron cases.
“As the healthcare community prepares for an anticipated surge in patients due to Omicron, CDC is updating our recommendations to reflect what we know about infection and exposure in the context of vaccination and booster doses," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. "Our goal is to keep healthcare personnel and patients safe and to address and prevent undue burden on our healthcare facilities. Our priority remains prevention—and I strongly encourage all healthcare personnel to get vaccinated and boosted.”
The CDC said healthcare workers who are fully vaccinated, including a booster, do not need to quarantine after high-risk exposures.
They can return to work after seven days with a negative test if they are asymptomatic.
If they deal with staffing shortages caused by COVID-19, then isolation time can be cut even further.
