The CDC has relaxed its COVID-19 policies, despite the virus continuing to have a grip on the world.
On Thursday, the agency dropped the recommendation that Americans quarantine if they’ve been exposed to someone with the virus. They also stated that people no longer needed to social distance. The scaled-back protocols were announced as 95% of Americans have obtained immunity through either vaccination or infection.
Nearly 67% of Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 79% of all U.S. residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 32% have received a booster shot.
Despite this latest update, masks are still encouraged in areas with a high number of cases or for people considered at risk for COVID-19 complications, such as those who are immunocompromised.
Before the new guidelines, unvaccinated people exposed to COVID-19 were encouraged to quarantine for five days. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only suggests wearing a high-quality mask for ten days and getting tested on day five, issuing identical guidelines for both vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens.
Case investigations and contact tracing will only be required in mass outbreak situations or infections that occur in healthcare settings.
“The current conditions of this pandemic are very different from those of the last two years,” explained the CDC’s author of the guidelines, Greta Massetti.
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