The CDC is loosening its guidelines on social distancing and quarantining. The shift marks a significant change in the country’s approach to the pandemic. Most Americans are now fully vaccinated against the virus or have been exposed to it.
The new guidelines say anyone exposed to COVID-19 will not be required to quarantine unless they test positive or develop symptoms, per the CDC’s new guidelines.
Like vaccinated people, unvaccinated people should test on the fifth day after the exposure and wear a high-quality mask for ten days. In most community settings, the CDC no longer recommends asymptomatic screening for people who haven’t had a known exposure to COVID.
“This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives,” senior CDC epidemiologist Greta Massetti said in a statement. However, you should still isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 or if you think you have it, whatever your vaccination status.
Read the rules for when your isolation can end.