On Dec. 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shortened COVID-19 isolation guidelines from 10 days to 5 for those who test positive for COVID-19. The updated guidance came shortly before the United States registered one million new COVID-19 cases on Jan. 2—4.
"People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days, and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others, to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter," read the CDC statement.
As of Dec. 20, 2021, the Omicron variant was detected in most states and territories. According to the CDC, Omicron spreads faster than previous variants, and those who are vaccinated or asymptomatic can still spread the virus. Vaccines are expected to protect people against severe illness, hospitalization, and death, although breakthrough COVID-19 cases are becoming more common with this variant.
According to the CDC, data from the United Kingdom and South Africa shows that vaccine effectiveness against infection for people who received two doses is about 35%, while for those who received a booster dose, it is about 75%.
The CDC mentioned how its decision to update isolation guidelines was motivated by science, with the majority of transmissions taking place one to two days prior to developing symptoms, and two to three days after.
That said, the center has received criticism for placing capitalism over the health and safety of Americans, particularly those who are at high risk of severe COVID-19-related illness.
New guidance for those who test positive
For anyone in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19 who is unvaccinated or are six months from their second mRNA vaccine dose (or received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine over two months ago) and are not boosted, the CDC recommends quarantining for five days, followed by strict mask use for another five days.
Those exposed to COVID-19 who have received a booster dose do not need to quarantine but need to wear a well-fitting mask for ten days when around others, and those who are symptomatic need to quarantine immediately until receiving a negative test result.
Additionally, the isolation period for healthcare workers who test positive for COVID-19 has dropped from 10 days to 7 days, and healthcare workers who have undergone a high-risk exposure but who are vaccinated and boosted and are not required to quarantine.
"The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. The CDC's updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses," said Rochelle Walensky, the CDC's director. "These updates ensure that people can safely continue their daily lives. Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission, and take a test before you gather."
Nurses condemn CDC guidance
National Nurses United (NNU), the largest organization of registered nurses in the country, sent Walensky a letter on Dec. 22, 2021, urging the CDC to maintain the ten-day COVID-19 isolation guidance.
"Weakening COVID-19 guidance now, in the face of what could be the most devastating COVID-19 surge yet, will only result in further transmission, illness, and death," wrote Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, the NNU president.
Triunfo-Cortez also stated that the shortening of the isolation period was for "maintaining business operation, revenues, and profits, without regard for science or the health of employees and the public."
"Let's be clear: This is about what's good for business, not what's good for public health," said Triunfo-Cortez. "Our employers claim there is a 'nursing shortage,' and that's why they must flout optimal isolation times, but we know there are plenty of registered nurses in this country. There is only a shortage of nurses willing to work in the unsafe conditions created by hospital employers and this government's refusal to impose lifesaving standards. So this is a vicious cycle where weakening protections just drives more nurses away from their jobs."
The letter also mentions how reducing the isolation period guarantees more transmissions, and that strengthening, not weakening, guidelines is the ticket to solving healthcare worker staffing shortages.
"The hospital industry manufactured the current staffing crisis by imposing unsafe working conditions on nurses," said Triunfo-Cortez. "The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated long-standing staffing issues when hospitals failed to protect us and our patients."
CDC smells of capitalism
Last week, tweets mocking the CDC's new guidance were abundant.
The CDC claimed that science was taken into consideration when constructing its updated guidance. However, Twitter's vibe is that they reek of capitalism. America is seeing its highest number of recorded COVID-19 cases, yet the CDC is requiring COVID-positive Americans to isolate for half of the original isolation period.
With the rise in cases, more workers are expected to call out sick, and calling out for a full ten days would contribute further to staffing shortages across the nation, so even if someone tests positive for COVID-19, they are allowed to reenter the public sphere, where there are also immunocompromised, disabled, and unvaccinated children.
Other social media posts question why the government refuses to pay people to stay home when the country is seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Forgotten populations
The United States has come a long way since the start of the pandemic, but there are still populations whose needs have continuously been ignored. Although vaccines reduce the severity and spread of COVID-19, there remain high-risk groups.
Children who are under the age of five are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine. There are also certain disabled and immunocompromised people who are unable to receive a vaccine, and for those who have done so, it is still uncertain how effective the vaccine is when taking specific illnesses into consideration.
These latter groups are more likely to have serious COVID-19 infections if they get sick, and are more likely to become hospitalized or face death. What's a mild case of COVID-19 for one person may not be as mild for another.
Officials and health experts have relayed that Omicron isn't "that bad"; however, milder infections still cause hospitalizations, and those numbers most likely will remain high simply due to the sheer increase in Omicron cases over the past few weeks.
Disabled and immunocompromised populations in the US feel as though the CDC's new shortened guidelines are a game of eugenics, evincing an "everyone will get it" mentality. But not everyone who gets it will survive.
Generally speaking, while these compromised populations have put their past few years on hold, the country has continued moving forward without them. As able-bodied Americans rush to return to a more normal life, the disabled population has been an afterthought.
Long COVID-19: A possible disability
Since the start of the pandemic, disabled American lives have been viewed as "lesser." The US Office of Civil Rights has investigated a number of complaints about states unlawfully singling out and denying healthcare to those with disabilities, both mental and physical. According to NPR, a medical provider in Oregon even placed an unlawful "do not resuscitate" order for a disabled patient, and a group home was instructed to do likewise for its residents, in case they came to the hospital.
One in four adults in the United States has a disability, according to the CDC. The disabled population remains a high-risk group when it comes to severe COVID-19-related outcomes. With each peeled-back guideline, people living with disabilities have not been protected.
COVID-19 symptoms may get better within weeks, yet they may also linger for months, which is when it becomes "long COVID." Long COVID can happen to anyone, regardless of vaccination status or mildness of symptoms.
A Nov. 2021 research study from the University of Michigan found that over 40% of COVID-19 survivors around the globe experienced long-term effects from the virus, with fatigue being the most common recurring symptom, followed by shortness of breath, insomnia, joint pain, and memory problems.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), long COVID may be considered a disability, which is defined as a limitation on one or more major life activities, including seeing, hearing, walking, breaking, learning, working, and the operation of a major bodily function, among others.
Although not all long COVID cases cause disabilities, those it does cause are becoming more common.
Symptoms of COVID-19
Some people who contract COVID-19 may experience damage to multiple organs, including inflammation of the heart muscle, damage to the circulatory system resulting in poor blood flow, and lung, kidney, skin, and brain damage.
Where do we go from here?
As the nation experiences a spike in cases, it is more important than ever to take safety precautions. If you are not vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you are not boosted, get boosted. Wearing masks when indoors and at crowded outdoor events is crucial to stopping the spread of the virus.
Omicron spreads faster than previous COVID-19 variants, and cloth masks may not be enough for protection. Health experts recommend people switch to KN-95, N-95, or even surgical masks, with a cloth mask on top (to close any gaps) for greater protection.
Testing is also going to remain important. PCR tests are the most effective at detecting COVID-19. Rapid tests are unable to determine which variant a person has — if they test positive — and Omicron is great at not showing up at all on rapid tests. Therefore, it's important to take both a nasal and oral swab if taking rapid tests.
In King County, as of Jan. 4, 2022, new COVID-19 cases are averaging 2,358 per day, which is up 15% in the last seven days. Furthermore, the county is seeing on average 27 hospitalizations daily, which is up 80% in the last seven days. The three age groups impacted the most are 20-29-year-olds, 30-39-year-olds, and 10-19-year-olds.
We're not out of the woods, yet. Get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask, and wash your hands!