CDC Provides Updated Guidance on Discontinuation of Isolation

As of July 20, 2020, the Centers for Disease (CDC) control and prevention has provided an update regarding the discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19 not in healthcare settings ending home isolation. In their recent update, a test-based strategy is no longer recommended to determine when to discontinue home isolation, except in certain circumstances. The highlight of the changes are the following:

• Symptom-based criteria were modified as follows:

  -Changed from “at least 72 hours” to “at least 24 hours” have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.

  -Changed from “improvement in respiratory symptoms” to “improvement in symptoms” to address expanding list of symptoms associated with COVID-19.

• For patients with severe illness, duration of isolation for up to 20 days after symptoms onset may be warranted. Consider consultation with infection control experts.

• For persons who never develop symptoms, isolation and other precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the date of their first positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

The CDC cautions those using this guidance of course that new information becomes available and they will be changing and updating this information accordingly and there is also local guidance to take into consideration. As they have it posted now, Discontinuing Home Isolation for Persons with COVID-19, CDC states, “Accumulating evidence supports ending isolation and precautions for persons with COVID-19 using a symptom-based strategy. Specifically, researchers have reported that people with mild to moderate COVID-19 remain infectious no longer than 10 days after symptoms began, and those with more severe illness or those who are severely immunocompromised remain infectious no longer than 20 days after their symptoms began. Therefore, CDC has updated the reocmmendations for discontinuin homes isolation as follows:

Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue isolation under the following conditions:

• At least 10 days have passed since symptom onset AND

• At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications AND

• Other symptoms have improved.

*A limited number of persons with severe illness may produce replication-competent virus beyond 10 days, that my warrant extending the duration of isolation for up to 20 days after symptoms onset. Consider consultation with infection control experts.”

There is move information on the CDC website so to see further discussion and other related issues they are providing information on, see the CDC website in general or click here.

Local guidance may differ so looking at the specific guidance/protocols/laws from your State and local authorities and health agencies may provide something specific to the region that you are in and if you are in Texas then you should also checkout the Texas Department of Health and Human Services website.