March 01, 2024
Jens Kalaene/Picture Alliance/Sipa USA
People with COVID-19 no longer need to isolate once they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication and have improving symptoms, according to the CDC's new guidelines for respiratory illnesses.
People who have tested positive for COVID-19 are no longer advised to spend days isolating – so long as they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the help of medication, and their symptoms are improving.
People who meet those guidelines can resume normal activities, but they should take precautionary measures for five more days, according to updated COVID-19 guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those precautions include wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, enhanced hygiene like hand-washing and running air cleaners or purifiers.
Such precautions are especially important for protecting people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems, the CDC said.
The updated guidelines, released Friday, are a reflection of the changing nature of COVID-19 and growing immunity, the CDC said. They also apply to influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – an effort to make recommendations for limiting the spread of respiratory illnesses easier to follow.
"While (COVID-19) remains a threat, today it is far less likely to cause severe illness because of widespread immunity and improved tools to prevent and treat the disease," the CDC wrote in a news release. "Importantly, states and countries that have already adjusted recommended isolation times have not seen increased hospitalizations or deaths related to COVID-19."
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Previously, the CDC had recommended people with COVID-19 isolate for five days and then mask through day 10. They also were advised to obtain a negative test result before ending isolation.
The agency also suggested people take steps to avoid exposure to respiratory viruses by staying up to date on their vaccinations, covering coughs and sneezes, gathering outdoors and bringing fresh air into their homes.
"The bottom line is that when people follow these actionable recommendations to avoid getting sick, and to protect themselves and others if they do get sick, it will help limit the spread of respiratory viruses, and that will mean fewer people who experience severe illness," said Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "That includes taking enhanced precautions that can help protect people who are at higher risk for getting seriously ill."
