New Guidance about COVID Isolation and Quarantine
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2021

New Guidance about COVID Isolation and Quarantine

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reduced the recommended duration of quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19 and isolation after testing positive for the virus. Extensive experience over time has shown that most transmission of the virus to other people occurs 1 - 2 days after an individual is exposed and up to 3 days after symptoms begin.

A large proportion of the population will be exposed to the omicron variant over the next several weeks. We should expect a progressively negative impact on some services, including public transportation, retail stores, sporting events, and school activities. Such disruptions were evident when thousands of flights were canceled over the Christmas holiday due to flight crews requiring isolation after testing positive for the virus. The CDC’s new guidance aims to preserve safety while decreasing unnecessary disruption to our daily lives.

Here’s what you need to know:

After Exposure

  • Those who are vaccinated and if eligible, boosted, do not need to quarantine after exposure. They should, however, wear a mask around others for 10 days.
  • People who are unvaccinated or vaccinated but have not received a booster when eligible should quarantine for 5 days after exposure to someone with COVID-19, followed by 5 days of mask use when around others, including in the home with family.
  • All individuals who are exposed should get a COVID-19 test 5 days after their exposure.

(Click image to download or print)

After Testing Positive

  • An infected person may end isolation after 5 days after the positive test if symptoms are resolving and they are not experiencing a fever.
  • If the symptoms persist after isolating for 5 days, the person should remain isolated until symptoms are resolving and they are not experiencing a fever.
  • The individual may then return to normal activities but should wear a mask around others for 5 more days.

(Click image to download or print. Note that the chart below is on page 2 of the PDF.)


Anyone with Symptoms

Individuals with symptoms, regardless of whether they have been exposed, should quarantine until a negative test confirms the symptoms are not due to COVID-19.

Nearly every one of us will encounter the virus at some point in the near future. We can take solace in knowing that those who are vaccinated and boosted are much more likely to be asymptomatic or experience or cold- and flu-type symptoms rather than severe illness requiring hospitalization.

Trey Dobson, MD, is the chief medical officer at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington and an emergency medicine physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. 

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COVID and Kids

When I first heard the news about COVID-19, I was relieved as both a parent and pediatrician that it seemed unlikely to seriously affect children. However, more recently in both the literature and amongst colleagues, I began hearing about an uncommon but serious inflammatory disorder affecting some children with COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control are calling this “Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children” or MIS-C.

My goal in writing today is to dispel myths about this new manifestation of the illness, provide helpful steps families can take to protect their kids from COVID-19, and assure that medical providers are aware of this new subset of COVID-19 and taking appropriate steps to keep your children safe.

Symptoms of MIS-C include inflammation in the skin and eyes, irritability and sluggishness, along with fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal pain. The symptoms are similar to a rare childhood illness called Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of the blood vessels and primarily affects children under 5 years of age.

There is very little known about MIS-C due to the small number of cases around the country. However, the medical community is monitoring this new syndrome very closely to learn all they can about it. I would like to emphasize that this condition is very rare and occurs a few weeks after a child has already recovered from COVID-19 infection.

As we have throughout the pandemic, pediatricians are urging families to take precautions to prevent their exposure to COVID-19. This includes reducing close contact with others by staying home as much as possible and avoiding congregating in groups. Anyone over the age of two should wear a mask when outside of the home.

Wash your hands and your child’s with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and sanitize frequently touched surfaces at least twice per day. Avoid touching your face and teach children to cough and sneeze into a tissue or their elbow. Aim to wash and dry plush toys about once a week.

There are special precautions to take if someone in your household is ill. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html for details.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends creating a healthy routine for your children that includes balanced meals, learning at home, exercise, social connection (Facetime, videochat, and in person with household), and adequate rest. This will help your children remain both physically and mentally healthy during this stressful time. Continue to reassure your children that the medical community is working hard to keep them safe during this time. Be sure to monitor their media consumption, watch for signs of anxiety, and be a good role model in regards to COVID-19 safety measures.

Call your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your children’s health, including symptoms of COVID-19 or MIS-C listed above. There are still important reasons to bring your child physically into the office such as immunizations, developmental checks, and growth monitoring. We would like to reassure you that we are taking proper steps to allow your children to safely receive care at our offices.

More detailed information about keeping your child healthy is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children.html. For information about obtaining healthy food or other basic needs for your family, dial 2-1-1.

Dr. Meghan Gunn is the medical director of SVMC Pediatrics.

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