Breanna Reeves
Breaking from guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California changed their COVID-19 isolation recommendations earlier this month.
On Jan. 9, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance on when to isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. Previously, the health agency recommended that people who test positive for COVID-19 isolate for five days and stay at home — a recommendation the CDC still encourages.
Now, CDPH recommends that people who test positive for COVID-19, but who have no symptoms, no longer isolate themselves. Instead, CDPH recommends they wear a mask when they are indoors with other people for up to 10 days after testing positive.This means people who test positive but are without symptoms may return to work or school as long as their symptoms do not worsen.
“Previous isolation recommendations were implemented to reduce the spread of a virus to which the population had little immunity and had led to large numbers of hospitalizations and deaths that overwhelmed our healthcare systems during the pandemic,” the updated guidance states.
According to the new health order, those who test positive for COVID-19 and do have symptoms, CDPH now recommends they stay home until they have not had a fever for 24 hours without using medication, and other COVID-19 symptoms​ are improving.​
Issued by CDPH Director Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, the order stated these changes to COVID-19 guidelines in the state come as COVID-19 impacts have reduced “compared to prior years due to broad immunity from vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments available for infected people.”
These guidelines do not apply to those who work in healthcare settings like nursing facilities and hospitals. In other workplace settings, employees are encouraged to follow California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) regulations.
The CDPH no longer recommends testing for all close contacts and instead recommends testing only for people with new COVID-19 symptoms and close contacts who are at higher risk for severe disease. However, in the instance of workplace outbreaks, Cal/OSHA still requires
“testing of all close contacts in outbreaks, and everyone in the exposed group in major outbreaks.”
The new COVID-19 guidance was released as several respiratory illnesses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the flu and COVID-19 continue to affect Californians.Â
On Jan. 19, Riverside County Public Health officials announced the death of an infant from southwest Riverside County who tested positive for RSV. Health officials encourage people who are 32 through 36 weeks pregnant, during September through January, to get one dose of the maternal RSV vaccine to protect their babies.
Health officials also recommend immunization for infants younger than eight months of age who were born during or who are entering their first RSV season, if the birthing parent did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy. Everyone who is six months or older can be vaccinated against the flu. COVID-19 vaccines are available to those six months or older.Â