CDC Guidance for COVID-19, Tests, and Discontinuing Home Isolation

On July 20, 2020 the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced:

• A test-based strategy is no longer recommended to determine when to discontinue home isolation, except in certain circumstances.
• Symptom-based criteria were modified as follows:
  • Changed from “at least 72 hours” to “at least 24 hours” have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
  • Changed from “improvement in respiratory symptoms” to “improvement in symptoms” to address expanding list of symptoms associated with COVID-19.
• For patients with severe illness, duration of isolation for up to 20 days after symptom onset may be warranted.
• For persons who never develop symptoms, isolation and other precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the date of their first positive (RT-PCR) test for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 RNA).

The CDC also provides, and regularly updates, the following resources:

• A summary of current evidence and rationale for ending isolation and precautions for persons with COVID-19 using a symptom-based strategy; and
• A website for businesses and workplaces to plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19.

-Article provided by ThinkHR