CDC issues new guidance on quarantine timeframes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Wednesday new quarantine guidelines for people exposed to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

According to the guidance, people exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine for 10 days if they do not exhibit any symptoms, or seven days if they have no symptoms and test negative for the virus. The quarantine period was reduced from 14 days.

With these strategies, the agency said residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 1 percent with an upper limit of about 10 percent for the 10-day option, and 5 percent with an upper limit of about 12 percent for the seven-day and negative test option.

CDC representatives said in a statement that it still recommends 14 days as the ideal quarantine period, but the new options are acceptable alternatives. Continued symptom monitoring and masking through day 14 are also recommended.  

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