The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shortened to 7 to 10 days from 14 days of quarantine for people who have been exposed to Covid-19, a decision announced Wednesday that was updated to reflect scientific findings.
According to the CDC, an individual can come out of self-quarantine on day seven after exposure if they test negative with no symptoms. If no test is taken, persons should quarantine for 10 days and monitor themselves thereafter at least until the 14-day mark. Even so, the CDC's Henry Walke, incident manager for Covid-19 response, said a 14-day quarantine period is still “the best way to reduce risk,” with shorter periods being considered alternatives by the CDC.
It's the holiday season, and for persons who plan on traveling, the CDC recommended getting tested one to three days before traveling and three to five days thereafter. The CDC also recommended that persons lessen nonessential activities seven days after traveling. If there are no plans to test after travel, the CDC recommends a 10-day self-quarantine.
Individuals who wish to travel immediately or those who'd rather end quarantine at the 7-day mark, the CDC recommends using either a molecular test, such as a laboratory-based PCR test.
Antigen tests search for proteins that make up the virus; molecular tests look for the virus’s genetic material. Both tests can diagnose an active infection, though the laboratory-based PCR tests tend to be more precise (Via WSJ).
The CDC said persons quarantining because they might have been exposed to Covid-19 should get tested five to seven days after the exposure in order to end the quarantine at seven days.
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